Jaguar Fighter Aircraft: 3 Crashes Since March, 50+ Mishaps In 45 Years, Time To Phase Out The Jets?
Jaguar Fighter Aircraft Crash: Wednesday's Jaguar fighter aircraft crash near Bhanuda village in Rajasthan's Churu district, which killed two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots, has given rise to one question – Is it time to phase out the jets?
This was the third crash involving the aircraft since March this year. According to media reports, this fleet of aircraft has suffered over 50 major and minor incidents in its 45-year service with the IAF, some of which have been fatal.
When were Jaguar fighter aircraft inducted?
The SEPECAT Jaguar is a twin-engine, ground-attack aircraft primarily designed for deep penetration strike missions, especially against high-value ground targets in contested airspace.
The IAF received its first Jaguars in 1979. The first squadron to be equipped with Jaguars was No. 14 Squadron, also known as the 'Bulls', based at Ambala Air Force Station. India initially purchased the Jaguars under the name Shamsher in IAF service. The aircraft were manufactured under licence by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in India.
The Indian Air Force currently operates approximately 115 to 120 SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft across six squadrons. However, only about 83 of these are fully operational as of April 2025.
Were Jaguars used during Kargil War?
Are Jaguar aircraft easy to maintain?
Around 50+ crashes have been recorded, with roughly 65 aircraft lost by 2015. Each flight hour demands around 20 hours of upkeep.
An IAF Jaguar Trainer aircraft met with an accident during a routine training mission and crashed near Churu in Rajasthan, today. Both pilots sustained fatal injuries in the accident. No damage to any civil property has been reported.IAF deeply regrets the loss of lives and…
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) July 9, 2025
What was the cause of Jaguar aircraft crashes?
According to experts, many of the crashes involving the Jaguar fighter jets were a result of failures in the Rolls-Royce/Turbomeca Adour Mk 804 and Mk 811 engines.
Experts say that one of the biggest concerns with these engines is the thrust output, which is inadequate in India's hot-and-high flying conditions, especially from forward air bases near the Himalayas. Moreover, the availability of spare parts for the Mk 804/811 engines has become a serious logistical bottleneck.
Should Jaguar aircraft be phased out? Yes, says one expert
Tim Davis, a former Royal Air Force instructor in an IRDW report, stated, 'Even with engine and avionics upgrades, you still face issues with airframe fatigue. There's only so much of an aircraft you can replace. It comes down this: even one pilot death is a tragedy. And the older the aircraft gets, the higher the risks."
'Jaguar could be retained longer': Expert explains why and how
Military analyst and retired Jaguar pilot squadron leader Vijainder K Thakur, wrote in EurAsian Times last September, 'One reason why the Jaguar has remained relevant is that the IAF has adopted the fighter for medium-altitude stand-off strikes."
According to Thakur, since its initial induction, the IAF has continuously upgraded the Jaguar to improve its stand-off attack, strike range, and target acquisition capabilities. Thakur wrote that these upgrades, referred to as DARIN (Display Attack Ranging Inertial Navigation) upgrades, were done in three phases: DARIN-1, DARIN-2, and DARIN-3. 'Clearly, the Jaguar is now a potent platform despite being somewhat underpowered. It could be retained in service longer than currently projected to prevent the unacceptable depletion of IAF fighter aircraft inventory. Indeed, that may well be the case," wrote Thakur.
'However, longer service retention could only be achieved by reducing the aircraft's monthly flying hours," he suggested.
Does the IAF plan to phase out Jaguar jets?
The IAF is expected to begin phasing out its older Jaguar models 2027-28 onwards. But amid delays in acquiring the HAL Tejas Mk2, Rafale, and Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft, it will have to extend the life of these outdated planes. The complete phasing out is scheduled by 2035-2040, according to media reports.
Do other countries fly Jaguar jets?
Countries like Britain, France, Ecuador, Nigeria and Oman, which once had Jaguars in their fleet, have retired them long ago, with some have been put on display in air museums.
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July 09, 2025, 19:19 IST
News explainers Jaguar Fighter Aircraft: 3 Crashes Since March, 50+ Mishaps In 45 Years, Time To Phase Out The Jets?
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