Manhunt underway after Melbourne tower communications hacked

Police in Melbourne have launched a manhunt after 15 flights over the last several weeks have been ordered to go around while on their final approach. The radio communications have come from someone pretending to be the control tower, using a mobile radio transmitter. Somehow they are able to jam the tower communications, while transmitting to the aircraft claiming to be the tower. It's believed that the person is in a car nearby.

None of the aircraft have been put in danger, but this is a dangerous situation going on. Police have asked the public for any help that they can get. The person involved, if caught, faces up to 20 years in prison.

7 News understands 15 incoming flights at Melbourne Tullamarine and Avalon airports have been targeted by someone pretending to be an air traffic controller.

The Australian Federal Police have issued a warning about unauthorised radio transmissions and have launched an investigation into the incidents.

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a reply to: Zaphod58

Good info.
I'm hoping that this is some misguided goofball who thinks it's funny.
I would think that a terrorist would have other ways of screwing with the system. Not to mention more definitively
destructive.
You can buy an aviation handheld for around $200. So, it's not like it would be some major high-tech issue.
I'll be curious to see how this plays out.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I wonder if it's possibly connected to terrorism? Someone pretending to be an air traffic controller could set two planes on a collision course! Just when everyone thinks airplane security has gotten safer since 9/11, you hear about another devious plot to bring down airplanes!

As new technology is developed, people with sick minds want to take advantage of it and use it to kill innocent men, women and children. We live in dangerous times.

It is not difficult to spoof ground-air comms. It is pure analog, non-encrypted AM-modulated air-band comms, of which the frequency is known, so you can't even call it hacking. Any teenager or idiot with a rudimentary of knowledge can build such a device for a few dollars. You just need to be a bit closer to the aircraft than the tower, and the aircraft will only hear you.

I guess it will turn out to be some teenager or idiot, like the guys shining laser-pointers at an approaching aircraft.

It should also be not so difficult to triangulate the position of the transmitter and catch the guy.
I would be a lot more worried if the NAV-aids are getting spoofed, not that it has not happened before.

A 19 year old man has been arrested and charged.

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