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Indian Air Force Jaguar Fighter Aircraft Performing Mid-Air Refueling - AA Me, IN
FRIDAY, MARCH 02, 2012
Indian Air Force Jaguar Fighter Aircraft Performing Mid-Air Refueling[/paste:font]
A small collection of pictures showing the Indian Air Force's [IAF] SEPECAT Jaguar fighter aircraft perform aerial refueling. These photographs were taken in 2004, when the IAF were on their way to the United States to take part in the Cope Thunder 2004 military exercise.
In-flight refuelling capability was incorporated into the Jaguars as part of its upgrade programme; one of the many it has undergone. Ironically, when the IAF decided to acquire these fighters from the French-British developer consortium, it specified that its pre-existing In-Flight Refueling [IFR] probe be
removed, since India, at that time possessed no mid-air refuelling capability. While the pictures here show an IFR probe which retracts into the nose, yet another
non-retractable variant has also been seen retro-fitted onto some of the IAF Jaguars. Perhaps, the type of IFR probe selected depended whether the aircraft is a single-seat or twin seat version, with the single-seaters equipped with a retractable one. The twin-seat, with its fore pilot station pushed further into the nose, in order to accommodate another pilot at the back, may not have enough internal space to accommodate the necessary plumbing for the probe [speculating].
Since its acquisition, the aircraft has been regularly adding on capabilities, both weapon & avionic systems, through periodic upgrades. During the course of manufacturing & maintenance of the aircraft, Indian technicians & Engineers have also come up with
critical solutions that address some primary design flaws in the aircraft. These solution were, thereafter, adopted & implemented by its designers [BAE] across the Jaguar fleet worldwide,