Upgraded maritime Jaguar
makes first flight
14 AUGUST, 2017 - SOURCE:
FLIGHTGLOBAL.COM - BY: MIKE RAJKUMAR - NEW DELHI
Indian state-owned airframer Hindustan
Aeronautics (HAL) has performed the maiden flight of an upgraded two-seat,
maritime-strike Sepecat Jaguar fitted with an active electronically scanned
array (AESA) radar.
HAL was originally scheduled to
complete the $520 million upgrade activity, bringing 61 Jaguars to the
so-called DARIN III standard, by December 2017.
However, the project is running
behind schedule. Final operational clearance was to have been achieved by June
2013, following completion of the upgrade on three examples: one single-, one
twin-seat, and one maritime-strike aircraft.
Initial operational clearance
for the upgraded aircraft was not granted by the Indian air force until
November 2016. The entire modernisation and upgrade to the DARIN III standard
is now likely to run until 2022.
Hindustan
Aeronautics
India is the only nation that
continues to fly the Jaguar, with 117 examples in its inventory, according to
the nation's defence ministry.
The DARIN III modernisation
effort involves a deep upgrade of the Jaguar’s avionics and cockpit, in
addition to the integration of modern armament.
The flightdeck gains two new
multifunctional displays and an engine and flight instrument system replaces
older analogue displays. Navigation, electronic warfare and weapons delivery
systems have also been enhanced.
Darin III-standard Jaguars will
also be fitted with MBDA's ASRAAM short-range air-to-air missile, while Textron
Systems' CBU-105 Sensor Fused Weapon has already been integrated on the type.
Since 2013, maritime strike
variants also carry Boeing AGM-84 Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles.
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