Jay Tarriela@jaytaryela
It is not only the Starlink systems on vessels that have been jammed by PRC, but also the internet connections aboard our aircraft. Notably, on February 18, when a BFAR aircraft flew over BDM, the connection was lost, displaying a pop-up message stating that Starlink service is not currently available in this country. The signal was restored only after the aircraft moved 13 nautical miles away from BDM.
The following day, on February 19, BFAR and the PCG conducted another routine MDA flight over BDM and encountered the same disconnection with an identical message. This time, restoration required reaching a distance of 15 nautical miles. Later that same day, during an additional MDA flight, the disconnection occurred again upon overflying BDM, with the signal returning only at 17 nautical miles.
These incidents clearly indicate that the PRC has jammed the signals and likely established a geofence designating BDM as part of their territory, triggering the "unavailable in this country" message. It is worth noting that the Chinese government has not granted SpaceX the required licenses or approvals to operate within its borders, due to national security concerns and mandates for all network traffic to route through state-controlled gateways.
Likewise, what is worrisome is that the PRC is adjusting the radius where it blocks the internet signal, while simultaneously asserting a clear claim that BDM is part of its territory.
