India's Jaguar upgrade hits snag over engine selection

[Zarvan]

India's Jaguar upgrade is struggling with delays due to issues with single-sourcing its new engines. Source: IHS/Patrick Allen
The upgrade of the Indian Air Force's (IAF's) SEPECAT Jaguar fleet by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), announced in 2010, is likely to be delayed beyond the stipulated 2017-18 deadline, official sources said.

The IAF plans to modify 123 licence-built Jaguars by fitting them with more powerful Honeywell F-125IN turbofan engines and the locally designed Display Attack Ranging Intertial Navigation-III (DARIN-III) avionics suite.

The retrofit includes equipping the IS/IM/IB versions of the twin-engine Jaguars, inducted into IAF service from 1980 onwards, with electronic warfare (EW) suites that incorporate the locally designed Tarang radar warning receiver (RWR), autopilot capability, and improved glass cockpits and head-up display units.

IAF sources said fitting the 'hard-wired' Jaguars with Israel's IAI-ELTA EL/M-20600 radar targeting pods and EL/L-822 self-protection jamming pods was also under evaluation.

The upgraded Jaguar IS/IM versions will be armed with Textron CBU-105 sensor fused weapons, procured from the United States in 2010 for USD257.73 million, and MBDA's Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (ASRAAM), acquired in July 2014 for USD368.38 million.

In IAF service, the ASRAAM will be called the New Generation Close Combat Missile, and is likely to be fitted onto pre-upgraded Jaguars and 'mated' with their DARIN-II systems.

However, the upgrade is being delayed by the failure of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to conclude a contract to acquire 280 Honeywell F-125IN engines for around USD2.5 billion. The F-125Ns will replace Rolls-Royce Adour Mk 811 engines.

Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha expressed concern over these delays at Aero India 2015 in Bangalore in February. Official sources said the MoD was hesitant to progress the F-125IN engine purchase as Honeywell had emerged as the sole bidder after Rolls-Royce withdrew from the competition in 2010-11.

"The matter has not progressed as the MoD is cautious about approving single vendor bids," a three-star IAF officer said. "But until this is cleared the Jaguar upgrade will remain frozen."

In June 2009 Rolls-Royce successfully tested its upgraded Adour Mk821 engine on a UK Royal Air Force (RAF) Jaguar at Cosford in the United Kingdom in the presence of an IAF delegation.

At the time Rolls-Royce maintained it could manufacture the Adour Mk821 cheaply in India, as it was already building Adour Mk861 engines for the BAE Systems Hawk 132 advanced jet trainer in collaboration with HAL.

However, the MoD's subsequent engine tender in November 2010 for a more powerful powerpack led Rolls-Royce to opt out of the bid.

A fresh engine tender in 2012 resulted in Honeywell, once again, emerging as the sole bidder with its F-1251IN engine, which generate 43.8 kN of thrust.

The IAF believes that this will not only provide the up-engined Jaguars with enhanced manoeuvrability, but also the capacity to carry a heavier weapons load.

Honeywell, for its part, is believed to have acquired two RAF Jaguars and successfully test flown them with F-125IN engines, giving them the confidence thereafter to pursue the IAF contract, industry sources said.

Meanwhile, HAL successfully flight-tested two Jaguars equipped with advanced DARIN-III systems in Bangalore on 25 March. HAL spokesman Gopal Suttar told IHS Jane's that the first flight lasted 15 minutes and the second for an hour.

The two flights followed an earlier one in November 2012, in which the IAF had expressed dissatisfaction with the DARIN-III's mission computer and demanded alterations and additional features.

HAL officials said its Mission and Combat System Research and Design Centre (MCSRDC) in Bangalore, which is responsible for designing the DARIN-III suite, had resolved these shortcomings and the system would soon be re-tested.

"The Jaguar upgrade is of critical operational importance to the IAF for operational and strategic reasons," said defence analyst Air Marshal V K Bhatia (retd). Once completed, their ground attack capability will be impressive, he added.

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India's Jaguar upgrade hits snag over engine selection - IHS Jane's 360

 

[Capt.Popeye]

This matter is with RM Manohar Parrikar and the procedural road-block will get cleared soon.
In the mean-while DARIN III is well underway.

 

[uparyupari]

I am guessing the confusion was about whether to upgrade the Jaguar with a new engine or use that money to buy additional Rafales.

Now that decision on Rafales have been taken, I expect the Jaguars engine upgrades to be cleared.