Widebody; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Environment - Non Weather Related
At cruise; we got a message 'GPS position lost'. I checked the GPS position on the FMS; which confirmed GPS position lost indication. The flight release was planed for Runway 04; which has an RNAV GPS Approach; but there was no RAIM report annotated on the release. We updated WX (weather) which favored Runway 22; so we did not need to shoot the 04 RNAV Approach; so we set up for ILS 22 Approach. I sent [Operations] an ops report of the GPS loss. Thereafter; we received a [Operations] report that the White Sands restricted area was disrupting the GPS signal; so we knew then that it was not an aircraft GPS fault. I wrote up the fault annotating all listed. Due to quick changing WX; we did a missed approach to 22 (tail wind out of limits) and shifted to Runway 04. Since we had no GPS signal; we shot the Visual to 04 with the VOR as a backup utilizing FPV and PAPI's for vertical guidance to the runway. White Sands NM restricted area doing GPS jamming testing. ELP is somewhat of an isolated airport with frequent high density altitudes due to temps; and high winds. In addition; the airport has two runways and two ILS approaches; a VOR; and a couple RNAV (RNP and GPS) approaches; of which runway 04 is supported by a VOR and RNAV approaches. The test jamming performed at White Sands directly affects the available vertical guidance approaches to Runway 04; which has a high CFIT [threat] due to the climbing terrain in the local area. As a result of last minute wind increase; we were forced to Runway 04 with a pre-dawn landing with no access to the RNAV approach with vertical guidance. We set up the VOR; as a backup for the visual; utilizing FPV and the PAPI for a landing on 04. I failed to discuss the RAIM check for a possible 04 Approach; so it was never provided on release. I did coordinate for an alternate due to all mentioned; and the Dispatcher gave us ABQ. Such airports should always have a RAIM check done and annotated on the release for an early review by the crew therefore facilitate early planning for available runways in quick changing WX events.
Air carrier Captain reported loss of GPS signal apparently due to jamming from White Sands.