India has received nine decommissioned Jaguar attack aircraft from the United Kingdom to strengthen logistical support for its fleet, making maintenance of the aircraft that remain in service more viable.
The batch includes five examples of the GR1 version and four of the T2 variant, as confirmed by the British Ministry of Defence.
Currently, the Indian Air Force is the only one in the world still operating the Jaguar, known in the country as the Shamsher. Since the model has not been produced for decades, obtaining spare parts has become an increasing challenge, prompting New Delhi to turn to former operators to keep the aircraft operational.
A large part of the Indian fleet was produced under license by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), but several original components are no longer manufactured. For this reason, decommissioned aircraft have become an important source of parts and equipment to extend the service life of the fighters.
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The United Kingdom retired the Jaguar from service in 2007 for budgetary reasons and still keeps another 42 aircraft in storage, although they are no longer airworthy. Developed by the Franco-British consortium SEPECAT, the Jaguar entered service in 1974 and was used in conflicts such as the 1991 Gulf War, as well as in missions in Iraq and the Balkans.
Source: Militarnyi | Photos: RAF Photographer, X @RAFPhotog | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
