Executing Advanced GNSS Link for European Sky Safety

ongoing

The EAGLES-S project’s objective is to rapidly implement a first of its kind, anti-GNSS interference system on Cargolux’s fleet of 30 Boeing 747s, of two variants: the 747-8F and the 747-400F. The implementation of this system will enable safe and resilient navigation for the Cargolux planes, which routinely operate in the Middle East, Turkey and Central Asia regions where GPS jamming and spoofing occur commonly. In order to make the GNSS signal reception more robust and thus prevent interference, the Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna (CRPA) was developed. The CRPA system is an adaptive GPS antenna designed to support all functionalities of a GPS navigation sensor system. It uses multiple element spatial temporal adaptive filtering (STAP) to suppress both broadband and narrowband jammers. The supplier has developed a first of its kind solution based on the CRPA to be integrated in civilian aircraft. By implementing this system, the project serves as a demonstrator for the EU aerospace sector and allows for rapidly disseminating practical knowledge on its installation and operation. As an outcome, European airspace will become safer as GNSS equipment regularly freezes after being jammed and spoofed. This regularly leads to situations of increased risks in the EU airspace, e.g. around the crowded airspace around major airports where aircraft with frozen GNSS equipment need to navigate accurately.