SEPECAT Jaguar

SEPECAT Jaguar Latest News

Two pilots were killed after a SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed near Churu in Rajasthan recently.

About SEPECAT Jaguar

• The SEPECAT Jaguar, fondly called ‘Shamsher’ (Sword of Justice), was a joint venture between the British Aircraft Corporation and the French Breguet Company (now part of Dassault).
• First introduced in 1968, it is a twin-engine, ground-attack aircraft primarily designed for deep penetration strike missions, especially against high-value ground targets in contested airspace.

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SEPECAT Jaguar Features

• It can carry up to 4,500 kg of payload.
• The Jaguar can fly at a maximum speed of 1,699 km/h. 
• It can fly 850 km on its internal fuel tanks, and with an external drop tank, the combat range is increased to 1400 km.
• It has a max service ceiling of 46,000 ft. 
• The Jaguar is of monoplane design with an aluminium airframe. 
• The aircraft is equipped with an in-flight refuelling probe at the starboard side of the front fuselage to execute air refuelling missions even under the worst weather conditions. 
• It is equipped with spoilers, air brakes, rudder, double-slotted flaps, slats, critical systems, and a bulletproof windscreen.
• It features an all-digital cockpit enclosed within a glass canopy. The cockpit is equipped with a head-up display, multifunctional display, night vision, and GPS.
• Other features include a helmet-mounted display, radar altimeters, inertial navigation system, automatic direction finder, information friend or foe, weapon aiming computer and digital data bus.

India’s Jaguar Fleet

• The first batch of 40 Jaguars was inducted into the IAF in fly-away condition beginning in 1979 and delivered in 1981. 
• Another 100 were license-built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in 2008.
• Overall, the IAF has inducted about 160 Jaguars of different variants over the years. 
• These include the single-seat strike fighter Jaguar IS, the two-seat trainer Jaguar IB, and the naval version Jaguar IM. 
• The IAF is the world’s only air force still flying these low-flying fighter bombers. Today, the IAF operates approximately 120 Jaguar jets in six squadrons.

Source: LMINT