anglo french jet attack aircraft originally close air support nuclear strike role service originally conceived 1960s jet trainer light ground attack capability requirement aircraft soon changed include performance reconnaissance tactical nuclear strike roles carrier based variant planned french service cancelled favour cheaper manufactured production joint venture major joint anglo french military aircraft programs jaguar exported india ecuador nigeria air forces jaguar numerous conflicts military operations iraq bosnia pakistan providing ready nuclear delivery platform britain france india half cold war gulf war jaguar praised reliability valuable coalition resource aircraft served main strike attack aircraft july royal_air_force end april replaced tornado raf development background jaguar programme began early 1960s response british requirement advanced jet trainer replace french requirement tactical combat support trainer cheap dual role trainer light attack aircraft replace lockheed countries companies designs hunting britain france memorandum understanding signed countries develop aircraft trainer based larger cross channel negotiations led formation european company production combat trainer tactical support aircraft joint venture produce airframe based basic configuration innovative french designed landing gear jaguar built incorporated major elements designed notably wing high lift devices production aircraft components split assembled production lines france work component aircraft source british trainer requirement demanding requiring performance superior result needed thinner wing increased weapon load power meet raf required ferry range miles separate partnership formed develop engine proposed engine preferred joint venture use elements new engine built derby previous collaborative efforts britain france complicated programme ended cancellation controversy surrounded development whilst technical collaboration went took encouraged acceptance designs naval attack aircraft receive profit initial plan britain buy jaguar trainers strike requirements met advanced aircraft france buy trainers single seat strike attack aircraft favoured aircraft collaborative june france cancelled cost grounds left gap raf planned strike capabilities 1970s time france cancellation germany expressing interest jaguar design oriented low level strike role october raf requirements changed single seat strike aircraft trainers jaguar replace close air support tactical reconnaissance tactical strike roles freeing phantom air defence french british trainer requirements developed significantly eventually fulfilled instead alpha jet respectively french chosen jaguar replace increased order include initial carrier capable maritime version jaguar apparently disparate aims come single entirely different aircraft relatively high tech ground attack high threat environment prototypes prototypes flew september seat design fitted production model engine aircraft later went flight lost landing march following engine fire second prototype flew february total prototypes appeared flight paris air year french prototype flew march october british conducted flight prototype flew november strengthened airframe hook different twin single testing france went carrier landing trials land based catapult july real offs landings french carrier trials doubts throttle response case aborted landing testing revealed problems aircraft handling flying engine planned engine improvements problems considered suitable replacement able purchase instead aircraft furthermore expensive limiting size force french_navy afford proposed super claiming simpler cheap development existing french navy agreed order instead jaguar rising costs meant planned aircraft purchased cancelled french government design overview jaguar orthodox single seat swept wing twin engine design tall type retractable landing gear original configuration maximum weight class manage combat radius internal fuel giving jaguar greater operational range competitor aircraft aircraft fitted external weapons load typical weapons fitted included rocket pod bombs anti radar missiles missiles cluster bombs raf gained new weapons gulf war including high velocity rockets american cluster bombs finally jaguar equipped pair french cannons alternatively british cannons unusual optional provision short range air air missiles magic option wing weapons stores gained buildup modified raf jaguar intended wired carriage launchers clearance weapon completed funding cuts engine powered engine developed parallel primarily jaguar separate partnership formed develop shaft engine equipped twin engines selected ease maintenance major consideration engine change possible minutes needed high bypass capable high thrust flight low level prototype jaguar flew september flight engine initial development engine complications stability system testing showed slow throttle response times problematic situation aborted landing engine improvements problems prior jaguar coming service french service introduced original engine entered service engine mainly featuring better throttle control raf later engined improved providing greater performance developed non models beaten jaguar fulfill trainer requirement adopted non engine developed jaguar engine found use aircraft abroad resembles jaguar following jaguar retirement europe continues active product new variants developed considering fitting new engines operational theatres gulf war jaguar proved reliable aircraft conducting missions owing jaguar original shortcomings navigation target acquisition escorted reconnaissance aircraft act guides jaguar provided valuable component campaign raf detachment flew combat sorties aircraft lost significant changes shortly war owing obsolete navigational systems unable provide accuracy required french quickly modified gps receivers recent technology time prior nato bombing campaign bosnia known dozen upgraded capability carry laser pod redesignated jaguar respectively shortly raf upgraded jaguar fleet common standard incorporating ability use new reconnaissance pods interim jaguar upgrade added new new hand controller stick integrated gps terrain referenced navigation upgraded introduced new digital reconnaissance pod helmet mounted sight improved cockpit displays improved night vision compatibility single jaguar converted act fly wire controls aerodynamic alterations airframe aerodynamic instability improved test data development operational history france took delivery production jaguar eventual single seat jaguar type conversion training france took seat jaguar capable carrying single nuclear bomb french government assign use force france strategic nuclear task carried later nuclear armed instead assigned pre strategic role clear path strategic strike force nuclear bomb retired service september nuclear armed squadrons concentrated conventional attack performed role aircraft bearing anti radiation missile capable staying airborne suppress enemy defences long periods time mid air french service jaguar frequently deployed defence national interests africa 1970s policy referred jaguar diplomacy jaguar combat debut forces december august conventionally armed rapid reaction squadron established intended deploy support french forces interests world jaguar shot missile france involved conflict years men force intervention helicopters deployed defend central forces arriving later engaged june contributing significantly halting offensive forces routed aircraft shot pilot recovered helicopter support military action region known deployed inside international airport january attacked rebel column withdrawing raiding town aircraft shot pilot captain killed denied involvement forces withdrawn agreement french forces withdrawn respect agreement returned operation time forceful role february escorted fighters supported aircraft launched raid airfield constructed anti runway bombs response incursions strike carried january jaguar destroyed radar missile stationed target sabotage owing effectiveness enemy forces attempts unsuccessful france member nato joint operations limited 1980s france dispatched participate coalition campaigns 1990s gulf war conflict operation deliberate force nato bombing campaign bosnia based italy conducted strike missions french service retired replaced ground attack roles united_kingdom raf accepted delivery single seat service designation squadron supplemented seat trainers previously jaguar comprehensive attack system models consisting navigation way weapon control system rapid deployment regional reinforcement flew tactical nuclear strike role carrying bomb beginning squadron followed squadron based shadow squadron reserve unit peacetime training role based jaguar squadrons declared operational british nuclear weapon squadron squadron based followed squadron squadron based brought raf jaguar force peak strength squadrons plus aircraft equipped nuclear weapons squadrons squadron squadron based respectively primarily tasked tactical reconnaissance wartime role operational squadron line assigned jaguar aircraft nuclear bombs variety conventional weapons april single jaguar test aircraft rough capacity landing taking multiple times motorway final test flight conducted weapons load ability service considered useful improvised left available large scale european conflict high intensity european war role jaguar support land forces continent resisting soviet assault western_europe striking targets forward edge battlefield conflict apparent aircraft numbers nuclear bombs consequence raf staff planners concluding attrition early conventional phase leaving survivors numerically strong deliver entire allocated nuclear bombs december updated standards navigation attack systems replacing original time engined engines fitted ability carry air air missiles electronic pods wings force altered late squadron squadron squadron exchanged tornado assignment wartime role remained unchanged units squadron squadron followed suit respectively left operational jaguar force concentrated squadrons participated gulf war order meet urgent need increase number aircraft able designate targets laser guided bombs upgraded capability carry laser pod redesignated jaguar respectively equipped deployed italy august operation deliberate force forces designate targets operations carried raf bombing raid europe end second world war years following success upgrade raf launched plan upgrade jaguar fleet common standard incorporating improvements introduced aircraft gulf war adding ability use new reconnaissance pods upgrade came parts interim jaguar upgrade added new new hand controller stick integrated gps terrain referenced navigation delivered standards upgraded known jaguar introduced fleet wide compatibility new digital reconnaissance pod helmet mounted sight improved cockpit displays improved night vision compatibility subsequently engined new service iraq war planned operate bases turkey north iraq turkey refused access northern attack cancelled demands treasury cut defence budget led defence secretary detailing plans july withdraw jaguar expected date october service date brought forward days notice april december jaguar operated undertook british military jaguar flight following retirement flying service continue serve ground notably training raf india india approached possible customer jaguar early declined partly grounds clear french british accept aircraft service decade later largest single export customer billion order aircraft jaguar chosen ahead long difficult evaluation process order involved built europe licence built aircraft local sword justice interim measure loaned loaned aircraft operational july second batch aircraft jaguar built aircraft delivered march batch assembly aircraft kits shipped united_kingdom kit shipped india following phases aircraft built india european content carry reconnaissance missions support indian peace keeping force sri_lanka later played active role war pakistan dropping laser guided bombs defining role deep penetrating strike aircraft jaguar small numbers anti ship role equipped sea eagle missile jaguar remains important element indian military jaguar described aircraft capable performing nuclear strike role reasonable chances success alleged indian military decided developing jaguar active nuclear platform lack ground clearance deploying india gravity dropped nuclear bombs aircraft aged viewed lacking suitable components ground attack mission terrain following radar gps navigation modern night flight systems consequently upgrades carried mid-1990s including addition targeting pod india placed order additional upgraded jaguar aircraft plans upgrade starting upgrading including multi mode radar auto pilot changes iii programme considering fitting powerful engines improve performance particularly medium altitudes war following invasion kuwait august british government assigned initial jaguar tornado aircraft middle_east aircraft operated bases august squadron tornado dispatched region tornado difficult operational high temperatures dispatched january act laser ground strike aircraft raf gained new weapons including high velocity rockets american cluster bombs raf existing bombs designed low level release unsuitable higher altitude operations common raf detachment flew combat sorties aircraft lost flew missions highest number missions aircraft france committed military assets coalition october jaguar aircraft reconnaissance aircraft sent middle_east advanced acting guides owing obsolete navigational systems unable provide accuracy required french quickly modified gps receivers required adaption lesser extent force saudi_arabia built maximum aircraft carried combat sorties jaguar damaged iraqi surface air missile typical targets iraqi armoured units missile sites naval vessels january french bombed kuwait damaged attack returned base january tornadoes raided missile batteries kuwait encourage perception imminent amphibious invasion liberate country 30th destroyed class landing ship rockets cannon entrenched kuwait border subjected continuous intensive bombing campaign weeks allied forming portion delivering aircraft performed valuable reconnaissance combat area coalition forces nations withdrawn region march end operators early development decided jaguar offered export prototype stage development formal approaches switzerland india japan australia netherlands belgium germany promoting aircraft sale japan began negotiations licensed production jaguar plans failed high royalty payments sought proposal turkey construct licence air force come fruition attempts export kuwait pakistan transfer orders kuwait initially ordered instead pakistan approached refused sell aircraft choice arms pakistan eventually opted successfully sold number overseas countries india prolific operator export version sold ecuador nigeria latin american export customer purchased seat variants officially designated respectively aircraft arrived january mainly ground attack roles occasionally air superiority duties war peru main fleet held reserve case wider conflict nigeria ordered single seat seat variants delivered subsequent order aircraft second batch cancelled service withdrawn operations grounds economy remaining aircraft sale royal_air_force like ecuador ordered single seat seat variants designated respectively delivered march second identical aircraft order placed mid-1980s joined raf examples aircraft retired august variants jaguar single seat weather tactical strike ground attack fighter version prototypes production aircraft built seat training version royal_air_force prototype production aircraft built capable secondary role strike ground attack flown equipped single cannon upgrade similar conversions jaguar jaguar aircraft given capability unofficial designation jaguar jaguar upgraded jaguar standard jaguar seat training version prototypes production aircraft built weather tactical strike ground attack fighter version royal_air_force built equipped navigation attacking use radar laser ranger marked target added nose production engines replaced jaguar jaguar navigation capability upgrades conversions jaguar aircraft modified carry pods upgrade jaguar jaguar upgrade jaguar single seat naval strike prototype french_navy built converted research aircraft versions based version built version jaguar built export version royal_air_force built jaguar export version jaguar royal_air_force built jaguar single seat weather tactical strike ground attack fighter built built jaguar seat training version built built jaguar single seat maritime anti shipping aircraft fitted radar capable carrying sea eagle anti ship missile built jaguar export version built version jaguar built operators current squadron direct supply built jaguar august squadron dragons squadron operational september loaned equipped march squadron equipped indian built jaguar october squadron arrows equipped indian built jaguar june squadron operator ordered single seat seat aircraft delivered purchased raf jaguar attrition replacements eagles france french air_force retired nancy equipped declared operational september discarded jaguar july french squadron operate jaguar french jaguar formed october disbanded june received march operational july disbanded july formed april soon moved disbanded july operational march disbanded june operational june disbanded july received february disbanded july formed august disbanded june ordered jaguar delivery operated squadron withdrawn use economy measure purchased jaguar jaguar identical order following aircraft respectively brought standards 1990s operational retired august squadron squadron retired squadron replaced germany main role tactical reconnaissance equipped tornado squadron formed october moving november serving attack role moved april disbanding squadron replaced based germany replaced reserve squadron formed renumbering later moving finally disbanding march squadron replaced strike role equipped squadron formed february strike role disbanding june squadron based replaced strike role replaced squadron formed reconnaissance role disbanded april squadron formed march attack role moving august disbanded march operational conversion unit formed october redesignated reserve squadron september initial data jane world aircraft air force aircraft nato cold war general characteristics crew length wingspan height wing area aspect ratio weight loaded weight max takeoff weight powerplant rolls dry thrust lbf thrust lbf performance maximum speed knots mph combat radius nmi external fuel ferry range nmi service ceiling climb min sec armament guns cannons rounds gun total wing fore aft single outer center line stations plus centre special weapons capacity provisions carry combinations rockets rocket pods rockets missiles anti radar missiles laser guided air ground missiles magic air air missiles bombs laser guided bombs nuclear bombs nuclear bomb protection pods laser electro optical targeting pod external drop tanks extended range time
SEPECAT Jaguar