Editing SEPECAT Jaguar (section)

===United Kingdom===
[[File:RAF Jaguar Tactical Meet.JPEG|thumb|No. 2 Squadron Jaguar GR1s at RAF Wildenrath, Germany, in 1978.|alt=Two dark green jet aircraft (one partly obscured) parked on concrete ramp in front of building.]]

The RAF accepted delivery of the first of 165 single seat Jaguar GR1s (the [[British military aircraft designation systems|service designation]] of the Jaguar S) with [[No. 54 Squadron RAF|No 54 (F) squadron]] in 1974. These were supplemented by 35 two seat trainers, the Jaguar T2 (previously ''Jaguar B''). The Jaguar S and B had a more comprehensive nav/attack system than the A and E models used by the French Air Force, consisting of a Ferranti/Marconi Navigation and Weapon Aiming Sub System (NAVWASS) and a Plessey 10 Way Weapon Control System. RAF Jaguars were used for rapid deployment and regional reinforcement,<ref>Eden 2004, p. 404.</ref><!--Quote "Moreover, a squadron could deploy at a moment's notice, and with minimal ground support.--> and others flew in the tactical nuclear strike role, carrying the [[WE.177]] bomb.<ref name="WE.177">Cirincione et al. 2005, p. 199.</ref>

Beginning in 1975 with [[No. 6 Squadron RAF|6 Squadron]], followed by 54 Squadron based at [[RAF Coltishall]], and a '[[Shadow squadron]]', [[No. 226 Operational Conversion Unit RAF|226 OCU]] based at [[RAF Lossiemouth]], Jaguar squadrons were declared operational to [[SACEUR]] with the WE.177.<ref>[http://nuclear-weapons.info/images/1975.PNG "RAF nuclear front line Order-of-Battle 1975."] ''nuclear-weapons.info.'' Retrieved: 15 November 2010.</ref> [[No. 14 Squadron RAF|14 Squadron]] and [[No. 17 Squadron RAF|17 Squadron]] based at [[RAF Bruggen]] followed by 1977.<ref>[http://nuclear-weapons.info/images/1976.PNG "RAF nuclear front line Order-of-Battle 1976."] ''nuclear-weapons.info.'' Retrieved: 15 November 2010.</ref><ref>[http://nuclear-weapons.info/images/1977-78.PNG "RAF nuclear front line Order-of-Battle 1977–78."] ''nuclear-weapons.info.'' Retrieved: 15 November 2010.</ref> [[No. 20 Squadron RAF|20 Squadron]] and [[No. 31 Squadron RAF|31 Squadron]] also based at RAF Bruggen brought the RAF Jaguar force to its peak strength of six squadrons plus the OCU, each of twelve aircraft equipped with eight WE.177s. Two further squadrons, [[No. 2 Squadron RAF|2 Squadron]] and [[No. 41 Squadron RAF|41 Squadron]] based at [[RAF Laarbruch]] and RAF Coltishall respectively, were primarily tasked with tactical reconnaissance.<ref name = 'wagner 124'>Wagner 2009, p. 124.</ref> From 1975 the OCU's wartime role was as an operational squadron in the front line assigned to SACEUR with 12 Jaguar aircraft, eight WE.177 nuclear bombs, and a variety of conventional weapons.<ref name="Carriage"/>

In April 1975, a single Jaguar was used to test the aircraft's rough airstrip capacity, by landing and taking off multiple times from the [[M55 motorway]], the final test flight was conducted with a full weapons load; the ability was never used in service but was considered useful as improvised runways might be the only runways left available in a large scale European conflict.<ref name = 'glenn 19'>Glenn 2005, p. 19.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Video shows 1975 military jet landing on motorway |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cgkg0xnvn11o |website=BBC News |access-date=26 April 2025}}</ref> In a high intensity European war, the role of the Jaguar was to support land forces on the continent in resisting a [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] assault on Western Europe, striking targets beyond the forward edge of the battlefield should a conflict escalate. The apparent mismatch between aircraft numbers and nuclear bombs was a consequence of RAF staff planners concluding that there would be one third attrition of Jaguars in an early conventional phase, leaving the survivors numerically strong enough to deliver the allocated stockpile of 56 nuclear bombs.<ref name="Carriage">[http://www.nuclear-weapons.info/vw.htm#WE.177 "WE.177 Carriage."] ''nuclear-weapons.info.'' Retrieved: 15 November 2010.</ref>
[[File:Jaguar GR1As 54Sqn RAF 2002.jpeg|thumb|Three RAF Jaguars during [[Operation Northern Watch]] in September 2002.|alt=Grey jet aircraft flying above desert, with white aircraft further out, trailed be another jet.]]
From December 1983, 75 Jaguar GR1s and 14 T2s were updated to the GR1A and T2A standards with FIN1064 navigation and attack systems replacing the original NAVWASS. At about the same time, most were also re-engined with Adour 104 engines and were fitted with the ability to carry Sidewinder air to air missiles or [[List of military electronics of the United States#A|AN-ALQ-101(V)-10]] [[electronic countermeasures]] pods under the wings.<ref name="WAPJ11 p94"/>

The RAF Jaguar force was altered in late 1984, when 17 Squadron, 20 Squadron and 31 Squadron exchanged their Jaguars for [[Panavia Tornado|Tornado GR1s]], although their assignment to SACEUR and their wartime role remained unchanged. The two other RAF Germany units, 14 Squadron and 2 Squadron, followed suit in 1985 and 1989 respectively, which left the operational Jaguar force concentrated in 6, 41 and 54 Squadrons at RAF Coltishall.<ref>[http://nuclear-weapons.info/images/1984.PNG "RAF nuclear front line Order-of-Battle 1984."] ''nuclear-weapons.info.'' Retrieved: 15 November 2010.</ref><ref>[http://nuclear-weapons.info/images/1985.PNG "RAF nuclear front line Order-of-Battle 1985."] ''nuclear-weapons.info.'' Retrieved: 15 November 2010.</ref>

====1990 Gulf War====
[[File:JaguarGR1 41Sqn Gulf1991.jpeg|thumb|An RAF Jaguar from No. 41 Squadron deployed to [[RAFO Thumrait]], in the Middle East, taking off to participate in ''Desert Shield''.]]

Following the Iraqi [[invasion of Kuwait]], on 9&nbsp;August&nbsp;1990 the British government assigned an initial 12 Jaguar GR1A and 12 Tornado F3 aircraft to the Middle East in [[Operation Granby]],<ref>Donald and Chant 2001, p. 32.</ref> these aircraft operated from bases in [[Oman]] and [[Bahrain]].<ref>Donald and Chant 2001, p. 33.</ref> On 23&nbsp;August&nbsp;1990, a squadron of Tornado GR1 interdictors were dispatched to the region as well, but the Tornado GR1 was difficult to keep operational in the high temperatures.<ref name="D&C 34"/> [[Blackburn Buccaneer]]s were dispatched in January 1991 to act as laser designators for the ground strike aircraft.<ref name = 'D&C 35'>Donald and Chant 2001, p. 35.</ref> The RAF's Jaguars gained several new weapons during the Persian Gulf War, including [[CRV7]] high-velocity rockets and American [[CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition|CBU-87]] [[cluster bomb]]s which were used because the RAF's existing [[BL755]] bombs were designed for low-level release, and therefore unsuitable for higher-altitude operations common over the Persian Gulf.<ref name="WAPJ11 p63-6"/> The RAF's detachment of 12 Jaguars flew 612 combat sorties, with no aircraft being lost.<ref name="WAPJ11 p93"/> ''XZ364'' "Sadman" flew 47 missions; the highest number of missions of any aircraft.<ref>Bowman 2007, p. 162.</ref>

====Subsequent upgrades====
In 1994, in order to meet an urgent need to increase the number of aircraft able to designate targets for [[laser-guided bomb]]s, 10 GR1As and two T2As were upgraded with the capability to carry the TIALD laser designator pod and [[British military aircraft designation systems|redesignated]] as ''Jaguar GR1B'' and ''T2B'' respectively.<ref name="AI Oct97 p226-8"/> TIALD equipped Jaguar GR1Bs were deployed to Italy in August to take part in Operation Deliberate Force against [[Bosnian Serb]] forces, being used to designate targets for RAF Harriers.<ref name="AI Oct97 p228">Lake ''Air International'' October 1997, p. 228.</ref> During the Bosnian operations, a Jaguar of 41 Squadron carried out the first RAF bombing raid in Europe since the end of the [[Second World War]] fifty years before.<ref name="RAF-41">[http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/41squadron.cfm "41 Squadron."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304003724/http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/41squadron.cfm |date=4 March 2016 }} ''Royal Air Force,'' 2011. Retrieved: 16 January 2011.</ref>
[[File:Eleven retired Royal Air Force (RAF) SEPECAT Jaguar GR3As, formerly of No. 6 Squadron, now used as ground instructional airframes to train tomorrows' RAF aircraft technicians and engineers, at RAF Cosford.jpg|thumb|RAF Jaguars used as ground instructional airframes at RAF Cosford.]]

Following the success of the GR1B/T2B upgrade, the RAF launched a plan to upgrade its Jaguar fleet to a common standard, incorporating improvements introduced to some aircraft during the Gulf War, together with adding the ability to use TIALD and new reconnaissance pods. The upgrade came in two parts; the interim GR3 (''Jaguar 96'') upgrade added a new [[Head-up display|HUD]], a new [[Joystick|hand controller]] and stick top, integrated GPS and TERPROM Terrain Referenced Navigation. It was delivered in two standards, for [[Reconnaissance|recce]] and TIALD.<ref name="Barrie"/><ref name="AI Nov97 p274-6"/> The further upgraded ''Jaguar GR3A'' (also known as ''Jaguar 97'') introduced fleet-wide compatibility with TIALD and the new EO GP1 (JRP) digital reconnaissance pod, a helmet mounted sight, improved cockpit displays, a datalink, and improved [[Night vision device|night vision goggles]] compatibility.<ref name="AI Dec00 p359-0"/> All GR3As were subsequently re-engined with the new Adour 106 turbofan.<ref name = 'morebite'>Thomas, Geoff. [https://www.flightglobal.com/more-bite-for-jaguars-with-upgraded-adour/27019.article "More bite for Jaguars with upgraded Adour."] ''Flight Daily News'', 16 June 1999.</ref> The RAF's Jaguar 97s were intended to be wired for the carriage of [[ASRAAM]]s on the overwing launchers, but clearance of this weapon was never completed because of funding cuts.<ref name="AI Dec00 p360">Lake ''Air International'' December 2000, p. 360.</ref><ref name="mixed">Ripley, Tim. [http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2000/07/25/68455/mixed-news-for-contractors-in-uk-defence-spending-plans.html "Mixed news for contractors in UK defence spending plans."] ''Flightglobal.com'', 25 July 2000. Retrieved: 6 January 2011.</ref>

The Jaguars did not see service in the [[2003 Iraq War]]; they had been planned to operate from bases in Turkey, to the north of Iraq, but Turkey refused access to its airbases and the northern attack was cancelled.<ref>[http://nationalcoldwarexhibition.org/explore/squadron.cfm?number=41 "Cold War Squadrons: No. 41 Squadron."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727111816/http://nationalcoldwarexhibition.org/explore/squadron.cfm?number=41 |date=27 July 2011 }} ''Royal Air Force Museum''. Retrieved: 16 January 2011.</ref>

Demands by the [[HM Treasury|UK Treasury]] to cut the defence budget led to Defence Secretary [[Geoff Hoon]] detailing plans on 21&nbsp;July&nbsp;2004 to withdraw the Jaguar by 2007.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}} An expected out of service date of October 2007 was brought forward at just five days notice to 30 April 2007.<ref>[http://www.raf.mod.uk/newsweather/index.cfm?storyid=2CEE8041-1143-EC82-2ECACAEDD252410F "RAF News: RAF Jaguars leave service after 33 years."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020050019/http://www.raf.mod.uk/newsweather/index.cfm?storyid=2CEE8041-1143-EC82-2ECACAEDD252410F |date=20 October 2012 }} ''Royal Air Force.'' Retrieved: 4 June 2011.</ref> On 20&nbsp;December&nbsp;2007, a Jaguar operated by [[Qinetiq|QinetiQ]] undertook the last British military Jaguar flight.<ref>Millard, Douglas. [http://www.qinetiq.com/home/newsroom/news_releases_homepage/2007/4th_quarter/last_jaguar_flight.html "QinetiQ says farewell with last ever UK Jaguar flight."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071229160322/http://www.qinetiq.com/home/newsroom/news_releases_homepage/2007/4th_quarter/last_jaguar_flight.html |date=29 December 2007 }} ''Qinetiq.'' 20 December 2007. Retrieved: 15 November 2010.</ref>

Following their retirement from flying service, many Jaguars continued to serve as ground instructional airframes, most notably at [[RAF Cosford]], used in the training of RAF fitters.