Jaguars with bite!

Spinners · August 19, 2020

SEPECAT Jaguar FGR.3's - No.45 and No.58 Squadrons, RAF Strike Command, 1988

In 1974 a cancelled export order for 35 Jaguar Internationals left the SEPECAT consortium with a headache as many 'long lead' items had already been ordered and assembly was already underway on the first 12 airframes. At this time the RAF were keen to order more Jaguars to form a second wing of No.38 Group, RAF Strike Command and, with the delays in the Tornado production programme meaning a shortage of work at Warton, BAC pushed the Labour government into accepting a deal for all 35 aircraft. Consideration was given to standardising the aircraft to match the RAF's GR.1 force but the uprated Adour engines and different avionics saw the aircraft designated Jaguar FGR.3.

Entering service in late 1976 the Jaguar FGR.3's served with just two squadrons, No.45 and No.58 who had previously operated the Hunter F.6 and FGA.9 to provide a pool of ground-attack pilots for the Jaguar force. The FGR.3's uprated Adour engines and early introduction of overwing missile rails made them something of an elite element in the RAF's Jaguar force and they were deployed to many hot-spots around the world until their somewhat premature retirement in 2001.