JAGUARGR.1
could be carried on the outer wing pylons.
Operation ‘Grandby’, the UK’s
participation in the 1991 Gulf War, brought some temporary upgrades to those Jaguar involved for ‘hostilities only’. 'Have Quick' secure radio with its black 'T' shaped aerial replacing the two aerials usually on the dorsal Auxiliary Heat Exchanger, enhanced IFF and Sky Guardian RWR were installed. Radar reflective material was added to exposed straight edges to reduce radar signature and overwing missile launch rails were fitted for the later model AIM-9L Sidewinder. When combat operations moved to medium level, the Canadian CRV-7 Rocket Pod and the American CBU- 87 Cluster Bomb were acquired. The campaign also saw the introduction of the Vinten Long Range Oblique Photography (LOROP) Pod operating alongside the original BAe unit initially with film cameras but later as digital,
As a stopgap measure in 1993,
ten GR.1As were re-designated GR.1B when given PGM designation capability and wired to carry a centreline Thermal Imaging Airborne Laser Designator (TIALD) Pod. Imagery from this could be viewed through both a new compatible HUD and an in-cockpit Multi-Purpose Colour Display (MPCD) screen controlled via redundant Tornado/Harrier stick tops providing Hands On Throttle And Stick (HOTAS) controls. An embedded Rockwell-Collins GPS was installed forward of the windshield.
Then followed an in-depth
upgrade conducted in two stages. The first, Jaguar '96, brought the long-term fleet to GR.3 standard by re-instating the Gulf War modifications and adding most of the GR.1B upgrades except TIALD and LOROP unless previously fitted. The second, Jaguar '97, brought the remaining fleet to a common
TIALD and LOROP capable GR.3A standard, provided a GEC Helmet Mounted Sight and a new brighter LCD Display as well as other system and software upgrades. These gave the GR.3A an unparalleled versatility within the RAF and made full Night Vision Goggle (NVG) operations possible across the fleet.
The final upgrade brought no
change in designation, although a GR.5 was mooted, and replaced the ageing Adour Mk 104 with the Mk 106 without the hoped for marked increase in power but ensuring greater reliability during the final years of service.
Some improvements such as
providing ASRAAM capability during the GR.3A upgrade were never activated. Some weapons and stores arrangements were trial fitted but never developed further such as a centreline twin-store carrier with any combination of ALQ-101/TIALD/LGB/LOROP, outer wing/centreline carriage of ALARM and fitting BOL AAM launch rail/countermeasures dispensers to the wing shoulder pylons.
Some
were merely suggested such as fitting a fixed undernose FLIR.
RAF Jaguar operations One hundred and sixty five
Jaguar S were built for the RAF and began entering service in 1973 as the GR.1. Deliveries began with the Jaguar Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) becoming 226 OCU in 1974 and No 16 (Reserve) Squadron in 1991. Between 1974 and 1976 Nos 6, 41 and 54 Squadrons formed to fly Jaguars in the UK and between 1975 and 1977 Nos 2, 14, 17, 20 and 31 Squadrons formed as part of RAF Germany (RAFG). Nos 2 and 41 Squadrons specialised in reconnaissance, the UK units were Rapid Reaction assets and RAFG had a nuclear strike role. By the mid-1980s RAFG had relinquished their Jaguars for the Tornado GR.1
but the UK squadrons carried on until the final rundown began from 2005 until mid-2007. With delays in the Eurofighter Typhoon programme, Jaguar's life had first been extended, but then suddenly brought forward for a very meagre budgetary saving.
But as the
Typhoon still does not perform some Jaguar roles nearly eight years later, the few more months involved are irrelevant.
Jaguars were used by test,
research and evaluation units. These included what began in 1988 as the Strike Attack Operational Evaluation Unit (SAEOU), then became the Fast Jet and Weapons Operational Evaluation Unit (FJ&WOEU) in 2004, and finally No 41(R) Squadron in 2006 when the original frontline unit disbanded. Additionally the Empire Test Pilots School (ETPS), Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE), Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) and laterally QinetiQ all operated the Jaguar at some point.
When Jaguar was withdrawn
from RAFG, surplus aircraft went in to storage or in to the training system as non-flying maintenance training airframes. Of these, some acquired pseudo squadron status such as '284 Squadron' with RAF Cranwell's Servicing Instruction Flight, although the owl badge adopted had no relation to the original dolphin. Also at Cranwell, some were maintained for ground- taxying to provide an active flight-line environment for trainees which still continues within the Aerosystems Engineer & Management Training School (AE&MTS) at RAF Cosford.
For around half of its long service
life, Jaguars were on nuclear alert with RAFG playing an important part in keeping the Cold War cool. In 1990 Jaguars were amongst the first UK resources to deploy to the Gulf in response to the
RAF Jaguar colours and markings
From prototype, through
development, and into early service RAF Jaguars wore standard camouflage of Dark Green BSC381C:641 and Dark Sea Grey BSC381C:638 upper surfaces over Light Aircraft Grey BSC381C:627 under surfaces with red/white/blue national markings. Shortly after entering service, in a general toning down process across the RAF, national markings changed to red/blue and soon after the Dark Green/Dark Sea Grey colours extended in to a wraparound scheme. During the late 1990s, a two-tone grey colour scheme of Dark Camouflage Grey BSC381C:629 sides, undersides and fin, with Dark Sea Grey BSC381C:638 topsides along with reduced size red/blue national markings, was introduced. Throughout their RAF service, it tended to be the single-seat variants that wore the very many special event, anniversary and disbandment colour schemes.
Single-seat Jaguars in RAF
service also received a number of Alkali Removable Temporary Finsh (ARTF) colour schemes.
Most
numerous were those different schemes applied annually in white to aircraft taking part in Arctic exercises which varied in style from overpainting either one of the camouflage colours to a more random
invasion of Kuwait and remained operational throughout the conflict. For a further decade Jaguars maintained the no fly zones over Iraq, and when the situation deteriorated there, over the Balkans as well, seeing action in both areas. In 2003 Jaguars were prepared to deploy to Turkey as part of Operation ‘Telic’, the invasion of Iraq, but were prevented, by politics both international and internal.
Another No 6 Squadron Jaguar GR.3A, XX766/EF, also at RAF Kinloss in November 2006 during a CQWIC, receives the attention of its groundcrew with the forward doors of the main undercarriage bay and rear doors of the nose bay open for servicing. The aircraft carries carries a Vinten LOPROP pod on which the sensor windows are open below the fuselage, a Rangeless Aircraft Instrumentation Debriefing System (RAIDS) pod above the wing, and again, only droptanks below.
FEBRUARY 2015 • VOLUME 36 • ISSUE 12 57
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