IAF to modify 112 Jaguar fighters to launch long-range stand-off weapons
Close on the heels of carrying out precision strikes on terrorist camps and military bases deep inside Pakistan, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has approached the industry to modify its Jaguar deep penetration strike aircraft with new long-range stand-off weapons that would enhance their operational capability.
The IAF plans to modify 112 Jaguars for launching High Speed Low Drag (HSLD) Mark-II bombs, a family of guided munitions developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
One fighter and trainer each of the Jaguar’s DARIN-II and DARIN-III variants are to be modified in at public sector undertaking Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in collaboration with the IAF’s Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE). DARIN, and acronym for Display Attack Ranging Inertial Navigation, are the upgrade packages for Jaguars.
After airworthiness certification of the modifications, the remaining fleet will be upgraded at the IAF’s airbases where the Jaguars are based, according to a request for proposal issued by the Ministry of Defence on May 21.
The HSLD Mark-II stand-off weapon has a strike range of about 180 km when launched from an altitude of 16,000 ft and its integration with the Jaguar requires retrofitting additional hardware as well as software on the aircraft.
Designed to hit runways, runway, railway tracks, bridges, ammunition depots, bunkers, posts and industrial facilities, HSLD has several variants with different sizes, warheads and ranges.
Some of these have already been integrated with the SU-30 aircraft. Last year, the IAF had initiated a project to equip the MiG-29, primarily and air defence fighter, with HSLD Mark-II. The Mirage 2000, HAL Tejas fighter and HAL Prachand attack helicopter are other platforms being considered for employing HSLD.
At present, the IAF operates six squadrons of the 120 twin-engine Jaguars – No. 5, 6, 14, 16, 27 and 224, based at Ambala, Jamnagar and Gorakhpur, forming a crucial element of its strike capability and tactical reconnaissance. Some Jaguars have also been modified for the maritime role with anti-ship missiles.
In 1979, 40 aircraft were imported from the UK followed by licence manufacture of 150 aircrafts by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, with aircraft rolling off the assembly lines as late as 2007. India is the sole remaining Jaguar operator, with other users — France, UK, Oman, Nigeria and Ecuador — having retired them.
The Jaguars were initially armed with the Matra R-550 Magic short range air-to-air missile, with the employed in an unconventional position on over-the-wing pylons as a means of self-defence during strike missions.
A few years ago, India procured 31 decommissioned Jaguar airframes from France and two each from the UK and Oman, along with several thousand aero-spares to replace some aircraft lost due to attrition and ensure serviceability of the existing fleet.
Jaguars have conducted reconnaissance missions during Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka. During the 1999 Kargil conflict, Jaguars carried out photo-recce sorties along the Line of Control (LoC) and were also used to bomb enemy positions with guided munitions as well as unguided bombs. These have also participated in several multi-national exercises in India as well as overseas.
Jaguars have undergone three upgrade programmes with the incorporation of different versions of DARIN. The latest upgrade, DARIN-III, which commenced recently, includes a new cockpit layout with dual multi-function display, new synthetic aperture radar with a range of 250 km for surface targets and 150 km for aerial targets, enhanced electronic countermeasures, new fire control radar, inertial navigation system with terrain mapping and geodetic height correction system and an engine and flight instrument system.
India