Raytheon’s “Landshield” systems are built to thwart GPS jamming—a technology that nearby Russia owns and has used in the past.

Sweden has agreed to buy two advanced GPS anti-jamming systems from Raytheon UK: the “Landshield” and the upgraded “Landshield Plus.” 

Sweden is buying the technology to protect its military navigation and timing systems against foreign electronic warfare interference—most obviously from Russia, with which Sweden has repeatedly clashed on opposite sides of the Baltic Sea. The acquisition reflects a growing NATO concern over the vulnerability of its satellite navigation systems in contested environments.

Neither Sweden nor RTX, the parent company of Raytheon UK, have disclosed the specifics of the contract, including the value, number of systems, and delivery schedule.

About the “Landshield” Anti-Jamming System

Landshield is a family of GPS anti-jamming systems developed and manufactured by Raytheon UK. The technology supports Assured Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (APNT), which refers to maintaining reliable location, navigation, and timing information even when satellite signals are interfered with. The systems are designed to protect GPS reception from electronic warfare interference.

Both Landshield and Landshield Plus feature compact designs that can be integrated across different military platforms, including ground vehicles and military equipment, naval vessels, and aircraft. Landshield Plus integrates its antenna and anti-jamming processor into a single unit and provides real-time awareness with respect to interference sources.

GPS jamming is a serious military problem for modern munitions, as the Ukraine war has repeatedly demonstrated. Modern armed forces depend heavily on satellite navigation for movement, coordination, and precision operations. GPS, of course, provides positioning information and highly accurate timing signals. However, GPS signals arriving from satellites are extremely weak and come on predictable frequencies; they are therefore vulnerable to outside interference, and many nations around the world have developed technologies designed to transmit interfering radio signals that overwhelm the legitimate satellite signal and render the information useless. A related threat, known as GPS spoofing, involves the transmission of false signals that cause receivers to calculate incorrect positions or timing. 

GPS anti-jamming systems such as the Landshield attempt to maintain reception of legitimate satellite signals despite interference, often using specialized antenna arrays and signal-processing techniques to reduce interference arriving from a new direction. This can allow receivers to continue tracking satellites, even when jamming transmitters are operating nearby. According to Raytheon, Landshield Plus’s ability to provide real-time awareness could help operators identify electronic warfare threats and avoid said threats.

The Baltic Sea Is a Hotbed of Russian Electronic Warfare

Sweden and NATO want this anti-jamming capability because Sweden’s location, on the northwest coast of the Baltic Sea, makes electronic warfare resilience an important defense consideration. Russia borders the sea as well, both from Saint Petersburg in Russia proper and from its exclave of Kaliningrad along the Baltic coast. Both cities host a major Russian Navy presence and other military facilities.

The Kremlin possesses substantial electronic warfare capabilities, including systems intended to interfere with satellite navigation. Russia has deployed sophisticated electronic warfare systems, like the Zhitel and Borisoglebsk-2, which are capable of interfering with GPS navigation and military communications. So Sweden’s purchase is part of a broader NATO effort to improve operational resilience against Russian jamming efforts.

The acquisition illustrates the growing importance of protecting satellite navigation against electronic warfare. As modern militaries become more dependent on interconnected digital systems, the ability to maintain positioning and timing under interference becomes increasingly important. The Landshield purchase hopes to address that vulnerability—without requiring clean-sheet military platforms.

About the Author: Harrison Kass

Harrison Kass is a writer and attorney focused on national security, technology, and political culture. His work has appeared in Tablet, City Journal, The Hill, The Spectator, and The Cipher Brief. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in Global & Joint Program Studies from NYU. More at harrisonkass.com.

The post Why Sweden Is Buying Advanced Radar Equipment from Raytheon appeared first on The National Interest.