HAL showcases upgraded Jaguar MAX combat aircraft

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) showcased the Jaguar upgrade suite, designated as Jaguar MAX (Mothership for Augmented Xploitation) during the 20–24 February Aero India 2019 exhibition in Bangalore.

A schematic diagram of the Jaguar MAX configuration, displaying some of its main features. (HAL)

HAL displayed new avionics, a cockpit, and a model of the heavily armed upgraded Jaguar (Jaguar MAX) ground-attack aircraft, which are being offered for the Indian Jaguar S/M/B (I) fleet, likely to be known as the Display Attack Ranging Inertial Navigation-III Plus (DARIN III+) standard. The original DARIN III standard is a modernisation effort that includes new avionics and cockpit, in addition to the integration of modern armaments. The upgrade is being developed and implemented in phases.

The Jaguar MAX primarily features an EL/M-2052 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar from Elta, an AESA-based wide-band jammer, a combined interrogator transponder, a flight management system, a configurable cockpit with a larger area display, a voice command system, a helmet-mounted display, an L-band datalink for long-range missions, a GAGAN/GPS/GLONASS-aided INS (with IRNSS optional), a software defined V/UHF radio, and modernised engines (optional).

The aircraft can be configured with a Radar Targeting Pod (2 seat-variant)/Laser Pod/Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Pod/Electro-Optical (EO) Pod to meet various mission requirements.

The Jaguar MAX is envisioned to carry and launch various next-generation air-launched weapons, including a gliding heavy-weight new-generation precision-guided munition; five sensor-based, multi-warhead, anti-tank smart bombs; a new-generation laser-guided bomb; 16 gliding, lightweight smart anti-airfield weapons; a sea skimming anti-ship missile; two new-generation short-range air-to-air missiles; four next-generation beyond visual-range air-to-air missiles; five advanced medium-range cruise missiles; and 12 swarming unmanned air vehicles.