Vulnerabilities in Israeli-made GPS systems may delay weapons delivery to Denmark by 3 to 4 years

COPENHAGEN, Denmark

Controversial weaponry deliveries to Denmark from Israeli military firm Elbit System may be delayed for three to four years due to issues with GPS functioning in battle zones, which Copenhagen believes are vulnerable to jamming on the battlefields and could cost more, state media outlet DR reported Wednesday.

Jyllands-Posten daily and the DR broadcaster in late November reported that the procurement deal signed early last year for weaponry with so-called civilian GPS systems was particularly vulnerable to jamming on the battlefield, as seen during Russia's conflict in Ukraine.

This vulnerability could render the systems unable to accurately navigate or strike targets, severely compromising their effectiveness in combat.

The DR report noted that Danish military commanders acknowledged the urgent need to replace civilian GPS units with military-grade systems capable of operating in adversarial environments.

However, DR reported, citing sources familiar with the situation, expressed skepticism that it is not feasible to replace all GPS units in the systems.

According to insiders cited in the report, the upgraded artillery systems could take three to four years to fully operationalize, a delay that will have a significant impact on Denmark's defense readiness timeline.

Without the upgrades, the weapons are expected to face major limitations in electronic warfare environments similar to those seen in Ukraine.

Last month, an independent legal investigation submitted to the Danish government revealed flaws in the procurement deal for self-propelled guns and rocket launchers from Elbit System in January 2023.