Air carrier Captain reported experiencing GPS jamming and spoofing and both GPS units remained inoperative for the rest of the flight.

2024-09 · NASA ASRS report 2168004

Date: 2024-09 · Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-less-severe

Synopsis

Air carrier Captain reported experiencing GPS jamming and spoofing and both GPS units remained inoperative for the rest of the flight.

Narrative

As expected we experienced jamming and spoofing from Egypt to Bulgaria airspace on Aircraft X from ZZZZ to ZZZ. We followed the procedures outlined in the Flight Manual (FM) Supplementary chapter which are designed to mitigate the interference on our navigation system. The usual EICAS messages appeared and we sent the appropriate reports to Maintenance Control; Dispatch and ATC. Both GPS stayed inoperative for the remainder of the flight.This report is not about jamming or spoofing; we know it is happening beyond our control and there is nothing we can do about it but follow the Supplementary chapter procedures to mitigate the effects. My concern is about what happens after; when we are flying westbound to the USA and both GPS are still out of service. Our typical flight plan has us crossing the Atlantic at an upper flight level and without GPS; we are now unable to get anything close to that level since we are only RNP 10 instead of RNP 4. We then have to beg ZZZZ [Oceanic Center] and ZZZZ1 [Oceanic Center] for the highest possible flight level; often FL290; which is nowhere close to what we have planned for and which results in a large increase in fuel consumption and a possible diversion. Luckily; this last flight; we were able to add fuel in anticipation of this; since there was room for extra gas for once - rare out of ZZZZ - and we were able to get FL320 for the crossing. In the end we used over 5000 lb. of extra fuel. Quite costly since it seems to be happening to the majority of the Company westbound flights from ZZZZ.We all adapted to this loss of GPS early on; thinking it was temporary; but it does not look like the jamming/spoofing is going to stop anytime soon so we need to come up with a procedure to recover at least one GPS inflight for the Atlantic crossing. Maintenance technicians have told me that it is quick and easy to restore the GPS on the ground: pull and reset the Multi-Mode Receiver (MMR) Circuit Breaker. Is it different inflight? I am sure that between Maintenance Control; the aircraft manufacturer; the Company aircraft fleet... a solution can be found... maybe a cockpit reset switch to use inflight? I have been told that other airlines are allowed to reset the MMR Breaker once inflight; don't know if it is true…The problem has gotten worse and is here to stay. I'd like to know; how close are we to a GPS reset solution? When I accept a release; I accept that not everything will go according to plan; and contingencies are in place for some inflight changes and arrival issues. This is more than that. Lately; my experience is that over 50% of the ZZZZ flights will not recover a GPS for the crossing; some pilots say they have experienced this problem more than 80% of the time; so the odds are that we won't have the GPS back and will have to cross at a much lower flight level. To be accurate; flight plans will need to reflect this and depict the crossing at low flight levels which will result in much higher fuel loads and consumption. At a time when we are all trying to conserve fuel; it is a frustrating situation. As far as safety; the added complications of diversions and reduced landing fuel can only decrease our safety margins. I hope to hear a solution soon.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.

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