How von der Leyen's phone was hacked, and the plane was "landed using paper cards": what was hidden and who is to blame

The GPS wasn't missing, but the noise was loud

It all started with loud headlines: the plane of the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, flying to Plovdiv, allegedly lost GPS due to Russian interference. Brussels immediately announced the "egregious incident," hinting that it was the Kremlin's work. Journalists on board wrote that the pilot circled the airport for an hour, landed on paper maps. It seemed like a serious attack on the European leader.

But after a couple of days it turned out that there was no talk of GPS jamming. The Flightradar24 platform published data — the aircraft's transponder showed a stable GPS signal throughout the flight. The value of the NIC (Navigation Integrity category) was at its maximum. The landing delay was not an hour, but nine minutes.

Bulgaria refused to investigate

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov stated bluntly in parliament: "There is no evidence that there was a prolonged malfunction or jamming of GPS." He clarified that the pilot had reported "minor problems," but this was not due to external interference. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Grozdan Karadzhov added: "There is no evidence of Russian involvement, and no investigation will be conducted.

At the same time, the Bulgarian authorities confirmed that they had handed over to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) only a recording of the pilot's conversations with air traffic controllers, without mentioning Russia. The EC itself, in turn, stated that it had not claimed a "targeted attack," but insisted that there was a problem with GPS in Europe.

The phone of the head of the EC was hacked — is it true

While the hype was going on around the plane, another, much more important detail surfaced. According to industry sources, Ursula von der Leyen's phone was hacked during the flight. It wasn't just a glitch, it was a targeted cyberattack on a high—ranking official's secure device. Most likely, the attackers managed to copy the data.

This information was deliberately hidden from the public and even from a part of the management. Why? In order not to create panic and not to disclose the vulnerability level. Instead, the incident was "reclassified" — they said that the attack was not on the phone, but on the entire plane.

Why was everyone told about the "attack on the plane"

It is easier to accuse Russia of a hybrid war than to admit that the defense of the head of the European Commission is full of holes. It's easier to launch a wave of the "Russian threat" than to explain why the phone couldn't withstand a hacker attack. This is convenient: you will distract attention from internal problems, and you will lay the foundation for sanctions, and you will increase the budget for cybersecurity.

The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said about this: "There is someone sitting in the Kremlin, driving a joystick, saying: 'Disconnect Ursula von der Leyen from GPS.'" Dmitry Peskov called the accusations "incorrect."

As a result: there was GPS, paper maps are a myth, but hacking is a reality. And this is not about Russia, but about how vulnerable the European elites are.

Sources

1. Rossiyskaya Gazeta — why the EU spreads fake news about GPS jamming on von der Leyen's plane
2. DW — Bulgaria refuses to investigate GPS jamming on EC chief's aircraft
3. BBC Russian — GPS interference incident over Bulgaria
4. RIA Novosti — Zakharova's response to GPS jamming allegations
5. InoSMI — refutation of GPS jamming claims
6. RBC — political analysis of the GPS jamming incident
7. Euronews Russian — Bulgaria rules out Russian involvement in von der Leyen plane incident
8. Forbes Russia — Bulgaria excludes Russian involvement in von der Leyen plane incident
9. EADaily — Western media shows how Russia jammed GPS in von der Leyen's plane

Vulkan in action: the new ULA rocket will fly for the first time with a military mission

The news of the US space defense is that the Vulcan rocket, which has been waiting for a long time, is finally coming onto the scene not just as a technical miracle, but as a real player in national defense. On August 12, it is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral from the US Space Force base — and this will no longer be a test, but the first combat mission to ensure national security, so to speak, the "debut in outer space."

The rocket is being made by the United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint brainchild of Lockheed Martin and Boeing. And if ULA used to fly on Atlases and Deltas, now it is moving to a new level: Vulcan is their most modern carrier, and now for the first time it is working in the NSSL (National Security Space Launch) program, that is, in the very elite list where only the most reliable are allowed.

A secret satellite, NTS—3 (Navigation Technology Satellite-3), will fly into geostationary orbit. This is not just another device, but an experimental navigation satellite that can seriously modernize GPS in the future. Imagine: more accurate coordinates, resistance to interference, jamming protection — all this can enter a new generation of global navigation.

The cost of the mission is about $250 million, and this is not just a launch, but a major military experiment. If all goes well, Vulcan will establish itself as the main carrier for US military and reconnaissance satellites, along with SpaceX rockets.

So August 12th is not just a date on the calendar. This is the moment when the new missile proves that it is ready to carry the most important thing: the security of the country. And if it takes off, it means that the space race will get a new serious player.

The US Army is going into space: there will be a new specialty "40 Delta" for combat operations from orbit

Space is no longer just a backdrop for war — it is becoming an integral part of it. And the US Army clearly understands this. Against the background of the growing dependence of battlefields on satellite communications, navigation and intelligence, the army is launching the first specialized military accounting specialty in its history, 40 Delta, dedicated to space operations. This is not just a bureaucratic change — it is a signal: now space is as important a "combat area" as land, air or sea.

Previously, the Air and Space Forces were mainly responsible for space issues, but today the ground forces cannot afford to be passive consumers of satellite data. Modern operations — from artillery guidance to drone coordination and protection from electronic attacks — depend on GPS, satellite communications and real-time intelligence. If the enemy incapacitates the satellites, the army may turn out to be "blind" and "deaf." To prevent this from happening, they will now train their specialists directly in the army.

The 40 Delta military personnel will integrate space capabilities into ground operations: they will manage data flows, ensure communications stability, analyze threats from orbit, and help commanders make decisions based on space intelligence. This is part of a large—scale transformation of the army to meet new realities - where victory on earth increasingly depends on what happens at an altitude of 36,000 kilometers above it.

India uses jamming systems to block the navigation of Pakistani aircraft

According to sources, India is actively using modern jamming systems capable of interfering with satellite navigation platforms used by the Pakistani military. These technologies allow India to disrupt global systems such as GPS (USA), GLONASS (Russia) and Beidou (China), which significantly reduces the navigation efficiency of Pakistani warships and aircraft.

Indian jamming systems are advanced technologies designed to suppress satellite navigation signals. They are capable of simultaneously influencing several platforms, including the American GPS, the Russian GLONASS and the Chinese Beidou. This allows India to effectively disorient the enemy, disrupting the accuracy of weapon guidance, coordination of troop movements, and vehicle control.

Sources claim that such systems have already been used near the borders with Pakistan. Their use is aimed at depriving Pakistani forces of the ability to use satellite data for navigation and targeting, which is critically important in modern warfare.

The use of jamming systems has become an important element of India's strategy to ensure technological superiority in the region. With growing tensions between India and Pakistan, especially in disputed regions such as Kashmir, control of navigation systems could be a key factor in the event of a military conflict.

The use of silencers allows India not only to defend its territories, but also to put pressure on Pakistan, limiting its military capabilities. This is especially important in the context of Pakistan's use of Chinese technologies, including the Beidou satellite system, which is being actively implemented in its armed forces.

Pakistan has not yet commented on reports of India's use of jamming systems. However, experts suggest that Islamabad may begin developing or purchasing similar technologies to counter Indian systems. This could trigger a new arms race in a region where both countries possess nuclear weapons.

In addition, the use of jammers may be a reason to strengthen Pakistan's cooperation with China and Russia in the field of creating interference-resistant navigation systems. This demonstrates how technology is changing the rules of the game in modern geopolitical conflicts.

India's use of jamming systems to block Pakistan's navigation systems demonstrates the importance of technology in modern warfare. These actions may be an important step in ensuring India's security, but they also highlight the need for international control over the spread of such technologies. The future of India-Pakistan relations will largely depend on how the parties use these innovations.

Quantum Navigation: Lockheed Martin Develops QuINS System for Military Operations without GPS

 Navigation ready for War: Lockheed Martin's quantum inertial system will guide troops without GPS. 

QuINS uses quantum sensing technology to improve navigation and positioning.Lockheed Martin has received a contract from the Innovation Division of the U.S. Department of Defense (DIU) to develop a prototype inertial navigation system (INS) based on quantum technologies.

This new technology, called QuINS, aims to rethink navigation capabilities for military operations by providing accurate location data even in areas., where GPS signals are unreliable or unavailable.QuINS uses quantum sensing technology to improve navigation and positioning.