Communication Interference by Military Warships in the Pacific Region

SAFETY BULLETIN

23SAB03

2 March 2023

Communication Interference by Military Warships in the Pacific Region

IFALPA has been made aware of some airlines and military aircraft being called over 121.50 or 123.45 by military warships in the Pacific region, notably South China Sea, Philippe Sea, East of Indian Ocean.

In some cases, the flights were provided vectors to avoid the airspace over the warship. We have reason to believe there may be interferences to GNSS and RADALT as well.

IFALPA is engaging with IATA and Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) to ensure that all parties are aligned with our procedures and to prevent this from occurring in the future.

RECOMMENDATIONS

If a warship attempts to call your flight, utilize the following procedures:

• Do not respond to the warship.
• Immediately report the contact to the controlling ATC agency.
• Notify your company's dispatcher of the attempted contact.
• Complete an ASAP report, or other company Safety Report for either non-ATC communication or GNSS interference.

©2023 The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations. This publication is provided for information purposes only, in all cases pilots should follow their company’s guidance and procedures. In the interest of flight safety, reproduction of this publication in whole or in part is encouraged. It may not be offered for sale or used commercially. All reprints must credit IFALPA.