Skies Under Attack: Why Italy Wants to “Hide” State Flights

A plane losing its GPS, a delayed landing, and the President of the European Commission circling over Bulgaria without knowing where to touch down. It’s not the plot of a geopolitical thriller, but exactly what happened just days ago to Ursula von der Leyen.

Her flight to Plovdiv suffered an interference with its satellite systems, most likely caused by a Russian electronic warfare operation. The result: an hour wasted in the air, plenty of tension onboard, and yet another wake-up call for Europe’s security.

A Strong Signal from Rome

In Rome, the news was taken very seriously. So seriously that the government is now considering an unprecedented move: hiding the routes of official flights. No more public tracking, no more online maps, no more easily accessible details.

Defense Minister Guido Crosetto had hinted at this months ago, when incidents of GPS jamming began multiplying over the Baltic skies. Now, after the “von der Leyen case,” the idea seems destined to become reality.

The Invisible War

Behind this choice lies no paranoia, but a very real phenomenon: jamming and spoofing. These are refined techniques, invisible to the human eye, capable of shutting down or deceiving satellite signals. In practice: planes think they’re in one place, but reality says otherwise.

In recent months, similar incidents have hit commercial flights in Finland, British government missions, and even civilian routes over the Baltic. A mosaic that reveals a new frontier in geopolitical competition.

What Comes Next?

Italy wants to take action: classify flights, secure sensitive data, and stop curious onlookers from following the prime minister’s or ministers’ planes in real time. A move that could soon extend across the entire European Union, as air safety becomes increasingly intertwined with national security.

Electronic warfare is unseen, it makes no sound, yet it can change the rules of the game. And this time, Italy does not want to be caught unprepared.

FONTE: THE GUARDIAN