SEPECAT Jaguar

SEPECAT Jaguar Story

SEPECAT Jaguar is an aircraft joint venture between the United Kingdom and France to produce a supersonic low-altitude attack fighter. The aircraft continued to have limited success in partnerships and limited sales in foreign markets. India joined the host nation as one of the jaguars' biggest proponents, but has since planned to replace the type with a more modern breed.

Despite its limited range, Jaguar saw combat action in several major conflicts in the 1990s, with some countries maintaining the aircraft in combat status. In total, SEPECAT, BAe and HAL in India have completed some 543 Jaguar aircraft.

In 1962, the RAF and the French Air Force faced similar demands for new, capable aircraft systems. The British are trying to replace their aging Folland Gnat T. Mk 1 and Hawker Hunter T. Mk 7 series trainers with modern, advanced supersonic models, while the French are looking for a mid-size subsonic aircraft to complement their Fouga Magister And the Lockheed T-33 replaced the jet trainer, their Dassault Mystere IV fighter, and filled the void behind their Mirage line of high-performance fighter jets.

A formal agreement was reached between the two countries in 1965, and in 1966 the two sides were represented by British Aircraft Corporation (Wharton Division) and Breguet respectively. The joint effort received the acronym "SEPECAT" - "Societe Europeenne de Production de l'Avion d'Ecole de Combat et d'Appui Tactique", which means "European Association for the Production of Combat Training and Tactical Support Aircraft".

To demonstrate Breguet's leadership in design, BAC registered its company in France. This is the first attempt by two major European countries to jointly produce combat aircraft.

Both Jaguar A and Jaguar S models deploy a retractable refueling probe on the starboard side of the forward fuselage to aid in-flight refueling and further increase range. Some Jaguar B models used in France have a fixed fuel probe on the nose, as do some Jaguars produced for export. The Jaguar B model is a two-seat trainer version with a second cockpit installed along the slender fuselage. These airframes feature a full avionics suite and navigation system, but no lasers that provide true combat capability.

Additionally, the trainer model is missing the starboard 30mm gun, lacks a radar warning receiver, and was delivered without an in-flight refueling probe.

It should be noted that the Jaguar in service with the RAF were not equipped with powerful radars to assist in interception missions, like the larger Cold War mounts, they did not include their McDonnell F-4 Phantom II builds so powerful Much of the content of the war machine. However, the Jaguar is still seen as an overall improvement given the need for the UK to provide a flexible set of weapons that can target accurately in all weather conditions, and its low Mach 1 flight speed makes it increasingly difficult to aim and target. Intercept the given enemy.

Like other European aircraft designs, the Jaguar was given excellent STOL capabilities, allowing it to use road sections as emergency landing strips in the event of a full-scale war in Europe.

The Jaguar's armament is very flexible on the two underwing hardpoints and the lower centerline of the fuselage. The aircraft can deploy air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, conventionally dropped bombs, laser-guided bombs and missile pods as needed. The tall wings allow for relatively easy access to any underwing hardpoint. For close range work, a pair of 30mm cannons (150 rounds each) were mounted under the cockpit floor. In Jaguar International export models, the "flanking" mount point (deployed by BAC/English Electric Lightning) supports an additional pair of air-to-air missiles (short-range AIM-9 Sidewinder or Matra R550 Magic missiles only) . GR.

The Mk 1A is designed to carry up to 10,000 pounds of external ammunition, including fuel tanks.

It is natural for this joint design effort to provide a solution for the British and French navies. Therefore, the Jaguar "M" (prototype M05) was envisioned as the naval form of the base Jaguar.

To handle the rigors of shipborne operations, this single-seat variant features a reinforced structure and landing gear, as well as extended front wheel legs. Fish hooks are mounted on the stern, and a laser rangefinder is standard.

The M05 made its maiden flight from Melun/Villaroche on 14 November 1969 and landed in Istres on 21 November 1969 for further investigation by the French authorities. On April 20 of the following year, the M05 was handed over to Royal Aircraft in Bedford, England, to begin British trials on the virtual carrier deck. On July 10, the M05 completed its first successful ejection.

By the 13th, more than a dozen landings and takeoffs had been completed on the carrier deck, after which the M05 was deployed at sea on the actual carrier from June 24 to July 14, 1971. During this evaluation phase, it was tested against catapult launch and fishing cables, and was equipped with a full outward impact storage.

From October 20 to 27 of the same year, the M05 completed another 20 carrier operations, all at the prescribed takeoff weight.

Despite a good start, the French naval authorities were keenly aware of the operational costs associated with the new complex system and began to reduce the procurement requirement to just 100 Jaguar Ms. This would effectively result in fewer aircraft having to replace their soon-to-be-retired Dassault Flagship IV carrier-based fighter jets, forcing the Navy to consider other alternatives, including U.S. products.

In 1971, Dassault acquired the aerospace company Breguet, and by the time the deal closed, Dassault tacitly inherited the Jaguar program including a 50% profit sharing agreement with the UK for Jaguar. However, Dassault saw a much larger share of selling its own products to the French Navy, as they were able to put 100% of the profits directly back into Dassault's pockets.

Jaguar poses a certain threat to the company's already in-game Mirage fighter jets, and the company is starting to squeeze its new and improved "Super Ensign" fighter jet in response to the needs of the French Navy. Although the French government ordered Dassault not to advance the Super Flag in November 1972, the French Navy announced two months later that it would purchase the Super Flag to strengthen its carrier air force.

The situation has left a bad impression on the British half of the Jaguar range, with many now feeling that their partners have sold them out by pushing their own dedicated lines outside of the joint venture - both nominally is a greater profit. Therefore, the naval form of the Jaguar M was not realized.

"Jaguar International" was developed in order to introduce new Jaguar breeds to foreign markets. Manufactured by BAe, the aircraft are based on the Jaguar S/GR. Mk 1 strike model slightly modified. Of particular note are the standard "wing" hardpoints for short-range air-to-air missiles.

Additionally, Jaguar International received an upgraded engine.

India became the largest customer of Jaguar International/Jaguar IS/Jaguar IT and began to license the aircraft under the name "Shamsher" by HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited). 38 were purchased, while another 140 were produced in-house. Some are eventually equipped with Tequila radars and are planned to accommodate capable Seahawk (Jaguar IM) anti-ship missiles. The Tequila radar was subsequently upgraded to the Israeli Elbit EL/M-2032 radar for increased lethality.

Some two-seater Jaguars in service in India are also equipped with the DARIN navigation/assault system for night operations. Engines are planned to be upgraded from India to Adour Mk 821 series or Honeywell F125IN.

The Indian Jaguars are deployed in the 5th, 6th, 14th, 16th, 27th and 224th Squadrons.

France phased out its Jaguar fleet in 2005 and the UK in 2007 following a defence budget review. For the French, the Jaguar was replaced by the Dassault Rafale multirole fighter. For the British, the Eurofighter Typhoon has replaced the Jaguar.

Other operators of Jaguar Systems eventually became Ecuador, Nigeria and Oman.

Only India actively operates Jaguar in any capacity (2017). India has actively planned to replace its aging Jaguars with the fruits of the Advanced Medium Combat Fighter (AMCA) program in the near future. Omani Jaguar (Jaguar OS/OB) enters GR.

The Mk 3A standard was retired (August 2014) and in service with the 8th and 20th Squadrons. The Ecuadorian Jaguar (Jaguar ES/EB) was stored but flown with the Escuadron de Combate 2111. Nigerian Jaguars (Jaguar SN/BN) are retired.

The Jaguar continues to conduct combat operations in several high-profile conflicts. British and French jaguars participated in the 1991 Gulf War, while British jaguars participated in the upcoming Balkan war.

The French Jaguars served in the Kosovo War (1998-1999) while India fielded the Jaguars in the Kargil War with Pakistan (1999). Ecuador used its jaguars in limited roles during the 1995 Senepa war with Peru.

Specification

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