Has Russia’s GPS been hacked? (GLONASS)

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The GLONASS system is a Russian-managed constellation of 24 Satellites which is roughly analogous to America's GPS system.

Is this footage of a KA-52 attack helicopter using a roadway for navigation proof that the GLONASS system has failed or been hacked?

Not necessarily. Pilots use terrain features all the time for navigation. Mountains and rivers are preferred. But roadways can be used in a pinch.

Typically, pilots "handrail" roadways, where they fly parallel to a roadway just outside of an advisory's maximum effective range for AAA or MANPADS.

Supposedly this footage came from Rostov, so the pilots may be lazy or feeling safe.

Special thanks to F, a former pilot from the Australian Army for giving me tips on how helicopter pilots navigate.

References:

The footage:

About GLONASS

How is GPS different from its main rival GLONASS?

GLONASS Orbits:

Russia expected to ditch GLONASS for Loran in Ukraine invasion

Ukraine's 'IT Army' Is Attempting to Take Russia's GPS System Offline

[RyanMcBethProgramming]

Join the conversation at:



Follow me on twitter @ryanmcbeth



The GLONASS system is a Russian-managed constellation of 24 Satellites which is roughly analogous to America's GPS system.


Is this footage of a KA-52 attack helicopter using a roadway for navigation proof that the GLONASS system has failed or been hacked?


Not necessarily. Pilots use terrain features all the time for navigation. Mountains and rivers are preferred.

But roadways can be used in a pinch.


Typically, pilots "handrail" roadways, where they fly parallel to a roadway just outside of an advisory's maximum effective range for AAA or MANPADS.


Supposedly this footage came from Rostov, so the pilots may be lazy or feeling safe.


Special thanks to F, a former pilot from the Australian Army for giving me tips on how helicopter pilots navigate.


References:


The footage:


About GLONASS


How is GPS different from its main rival GLONASS?


GLONASS Orbits:



Russia expected to ditch GLONASS for Loran in Ukraine invasion



Ukraine's 'IT Army' Is Attempting to Take Russia's GPS System Offline

[rossshearer]

They are flying IFR
“I follow roads”

[miguelpi]

That Ka-52 is flying low to avoid radar detection and enemy air defenses. Roads and streets are even surfaces, so it is easier to fly low on a road (if there are no street lights or signs) than to fly at treetop height, bobbing up and down to equalize altitude with the trees all the time.

It's not because of a GPS problem, that's ridiculous. They could follow a road at 1000 m altitude. They are flying low because it is safer.

[greenredblue]

That chopper is insanely low to the ground. Forget about GPS, I'd worry about turbulence and people throwing rocks.

[simonm]

The old WW2 trick - fly low above railway stations, so you can read the signs with the name of the city with binoculars to know where you are at the moment

[tinman]

I can see the headline already:

"Ukrainian farmer with harpoon gun strapped to tractor brings down low flying attack chopper."

"The farmer told our reporters he'd suggest that Putin read 'Moby Dick.'"

[IntusMortuum]

I'm an EW specialist for the Marine Corps, a GPS system doesn't need to be hacked in order to take it offline, GPS is on the higher end of the RF spectrum and uses extremely little power. So very small jammer can wipe out GPS in a massive area. Usually this is indiscriminate and takes out your own systems as well as the enemy but in training you have to get approval from spectrum managers really high up the chain to jam GPS and it almost never gets approved since there is no way to control how far you end up jamming and it could mess with civilian flights, or other corporate stuff.

[jamesdriscoll_tmp]

I used to support a lab where we used GPS/GLONASS simulators to test software on apps that used location. They had to be enclosed in faraday cages to prevent the transmission from leaking out and confusing actual transmission.

[MaxwellAerialPhotography]

It’s truly astounding the conclusions people will jump to with zero evidence.

[curteaton]

Old pilot joke is "IFR" means I Fly by Roads, not Instrument Flight Rules.

[terrylambert]

Back in the 70's I had to turn in reports to an Army base near France. We flew in OH-58 and they always used road maps to get us there. I'm a 19D and taught map reading so I always had to give the pilots crap and offer to give pilots map classes.

[TurfSurf]

Actually, I have seem a photo of a Russian plane using a Garmin commercial GPS in their cockpit, it’s really crazy how Russians can improvise something like this in a multimillion dollar plane.

[tscott]

Your unique delivery and superb content is addictive. Been watching you for a few weeks and I always watch your videos when they are in my feed. Thank you.

[UrikKane]

A couple notes:
- in Glonass, stress is on the second syllable
- in the video, judging by the lane separator, it is flying further east from where you shown on the map, so it's still like 60-80km away from the border (on Russian territory), hence why they aren't concerned about enemy manpads fire

I've discovered your channel through youtube shorts, really like the way you analyze and breakdown these topics. I'm Russian and against this war.

[lornenoland]

In flight school I learned that IFR really stands for “I follow roads”

[iljadenisovs]

Rumors is that Glonass satellite was caught towed by Ukrainian tractor. "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for Ukrainian Agricultural Space Program" - farmers commented.

[PhuVet]

Loran is still used, at least for maritime and naval work. I was on a navy ship a while back and saw a loran-c system on-board. I asked the xo about it and he said it required to be maintained and used. It is used in certain areas where GPS has light coverage, especially around the north pole. This was on a ship that goes very close to the glaciers for surveillance.

[covenant_mog]

And thats why Ukranians are changing street signs, something right out of a bugs bunny or wiley cayote episode

[yuvl]

I imagine his wife in the cabin saying: admit it, we are lost, go and ask somebody for directions!

[Reticulosis]

Dudes flying real low, someone is afraid of MANPADS 😂, hugging that terrain like it’s his mom