SOURCE: AFI
In a candid interaction with Indian media, Tim Davis, a former Royal Air Force (RAF) instructor, offered a detailed assessment of the SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft, a platform still in service with the Indian Air Force (IAF) but long retired by other nations. Davis, who spent decades training pilots, including many from India, underscored both the strengths and limitations of the aircraft, while making a strong case for its retirement.
Reflecting on the Jaguar’s role in the RAF, Davis noted that the UK operated the aircraft for 34 years, primarily as a low-level strike attack platform. “We did a lot with that aircraft,” he said. “It was used in a similar way to how India uses it today.” However, Davis acknowledged that by the late 1990s and early 2000s, the aircraft had begun to show its age. More advanced platforms like the Tornado GR4 and later the Eurofighter Typhoon began to eclipse the Jaguar in terms of performance, range, payload, and avionics.
“The Typhoon had more powerful engines, updated avionics, and could carry more fuel and weaponry,” Davis explained. “So the Jaguar became a little bit redundant.”
Davis was particularly critical of the Jaguar’s design, describing it as inherently challenging for training purposes. “It had a very small wing and was initially designed as a flying training aircraft, but that proved very difficult for the students,” he said.
“I trained many Indian students in the Royal Air Force—very good pilots all of them—but some were killed when they went back and flew aircraft like the Mig-21 and the Jaguar. The Jaguar is a difficult aircraft to fly. It takes a lot of talent and skill.”
Unlike newer aircraft equipped with fly-by-wire systems, the Jaguar lacks modern flight control assistance, making it more physically demanding to operate and less forgiving of pilot error. “We did have some accidents with the aircraft. It couldn’t carry as many bombs or as much fuel as its successors,” he added.
India has invested heavily in keeping the Jaguar relevant. The aircraft has been upgraded with precision weapons and enhanced avionics. A key modernization initiative involved replacing the aging Rolls-Royce Adour engines with more powerful Honeywell F125IN engines. However, this project was scrapped in 2019 due to cost and logistical concerns.
“Even with engine and avionics upgrades, you still face issues with airframe fatigue,” Davis warned. “There’s only so much of an aircraft you can replace. Eventually, you have to restrict how fast it can go or how many Gs it can pull. And that’s when replacing the aircraft becomes a more cost-effective option.”
Responding to recent debates in India about the aircraft’s future—especially in light of incidents that have reignited public and political scrutiny—Davis emphasized that safety must remain paramount.
“It comes down to this: even one pilot death is a tragedy. And the older the aircraft gets, the higher the risks,” he said. “You have very talented instructors and pilots in India keeping those Jaguars flying. But there comes a time when you must ask—how long can we keep this going safely?”
He acknowledged that such decisions are sovereign matters. “India is more than capable of making its own decisions. You’ve always had a very capable Air Force. But I do think the time has come to consider phasing the Jaguar out.”
Davis recommended a structured transition plan that involves retraining Jaguar pilots on newer platforms, a practice that was adopted by the RAF during its own aircraft transitions. “Most countries would look for a replacement aircraft, begin training, and then ground the older jets. It’s safer and more efficient.”
With the Indian Air Force currently inducting upgraded Mirage 2000s, Su-30MKIs, and preparing for HAL’s indigenous fighter programs like the Tejas Mk1A and future TEDBF and AMCA platforms, the path to a more modern fleet is already underway.
NOTE: AFI is a proud outsourced content creator partner of IDRW.ORG. All content created by AFI is the sole property of AFI and is protected by copyright. AFI takes copyright infringement seriously and will pursue all legal options available to protect its content.