Latest news with #VijainderKThakur
News18
09-07-2025
- General
- News18
Jaguar Fighter Aircraft: 3 Crashes Since March, 50+ Mishaps In 45 Years, Time To Phase Out The Jets?
Jaguar Fighter Aircraft Crash: Inducted in IAF in 1979 and crucial in Kargil war, some feel India should phase out the jets, just like Britain and France, others disagree Jaguar Fighter Aircraft Crash: Wednesday's Jaguar fighter aircraft crash near Bhanuda village in Rajasthan's Churu district, which killed two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots, has given rise to one question – Is it time to phase out the jets? This was the third crash involving the aircraft since March this year. According to media reports, this fleet of aircraft has suffered over 50 major and minor incidents in its 45-year service with the IAF, some of which have been fatal. When were Jaguar fighter aircraft inducted? The SEPECAT Jaguar is a twin-engine, ground-attack aircraft primarily designed for deep penetration strike missions, especially against high-value ground targets in contested airspace. The IAF received its first Jaguars in 1979. The first squadron to be equipped with Jaguars was No. 14 Squadron, also known as the 'Bulls', based at Ambala Air Force Station. India initially purchased the Jaguars under the name Shamsher in IAF service. The aircraft were manufactured under licence by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in India. The Indian Air Force currently operates approximately 115 to 120 SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft across six squadrons. However, only about 83 of these are fully operational as of April 2025. Were Jaguars used during Kargil War? Are Jaguar aircraft easy to maintain? Around 50+ crashes have been recorded, with roughly 65 aircraft lost by 2015. Each flight hour demands around 20 hours of upkeep. An IAF Jaguar Trainer aircraft met with an accident during a routine training mission and crashed near Churu in Rajasthan, today. Both pilots sustained fatal injuries in the accident. No damage to any civil property has been deeply regrets the loss of lives and… — Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) July 9, 2025 What was the cause of Jaguar aircraft crashes? According to experts, many of the crashes involving the Jaguar fighter jets were a result of failures in the Rolls-Royce/Turbomeca Adour Mk 804 and Mk 811 engines. Experts say that one of the biggest concerns with these engines is the thrust output, which is inadequate in India's hot-and-high flying conditions, especially from forward air bases near the Himalayas. Moreover, the availability of spare parts for the Mk 804/811 engines has become a serious logistical bottleneck. Should Jaguar aircraft be phased out? Yes, says one expert Tim Davis, a former Royal Air Force instructor in an IRDW report, stated, 'Even with engine and avionics upgrades, you still face issues with airframe fatigue. There's only so much of an aircraft you can replace. It comes down this: even one pilot death is a tragedy. And the older the aircraft gets, the higher the risks." 'Jaguar could be retained longer': Expert explains why and how Military analyst and retired Jaguar pilot squadron leader Vijainder K Thakur, wrote in EurAsian Times last September, 'One reason why the Jaguar has remained relevant is that the IAF has adopted the fighter for medium-altitude stand-off strikes." According to Thakur, since its initial induction, the IAF has continuously upgraded the Jaguar to improve its stand-off attack, strike range, and target acquisition capabilities. Thakur wrote that these upgrades, referred to as DARIN (Display Attack Ranging Inertial Navigation) upgrades, were done in three phases: DARIN-1, DARIN-2, and DARIN-3. 'Clearly, the Jaguar is now a potent platform despite being somewhat underpowered. It could be retained in service longer than currently projected to prevent the unacceptable depletion of IAF fighter aircraft inventory. Indeed, that may well be the case," wrote Thakur. 'However, longer service retention could only be achieved by reducing the aircraft's monthly flying hours," he suggested. Does the IAF plan to phase out Jaguar jets? The IAF is expected to begin phasing out its older Jaguar models 2027-28 onwards. But amid delays in acquiring the HAL Tejas Mk2, Rafale, and Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft, it will have to extend the life of these outdated planes. The complete phasing out is scheduled by 2035-2040, according to media reports. Do other countries fly Jaguar jets? Countries like Britain, France, Ecuador, Nigeria and Oman, which once had Jaguars in their fleet, have retired them long ago, with some have been put on display in air museums. Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Indian Air Force (IAF) jaguar Jaguar fighter jet Jaguars view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 09, 2025, 19:19 IST News explainers Jaguar Fighter Aircraft: 3 Crashes Since March, 50+ Mishaps In 45 Years, Time To Phase Out The Jets? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Russia's new ‘Frankenstein' missile terrorising Ukraine
For weeks, a new Russian missile has been tormenting Ukraine. It is fast, lethal and was unrecognisable until Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) unmasked it as the S8000 'Banderol'. Translated as 'small parcel' in English, it is a lightweight, low-cost, small cruise missile that reaches speeds of 400mph and can hit targets more than 300 miles away. It is also, specialists have found, a Frankenstein-like creation of foreign-sourced components which flies in the face of international sanctions. Kyiv says the precision-guided weapon, which carries a high-explosive 115kg warhead, has been used in deadly strikes on southern Ukraine, with unofficial reports saying it has been targeting Odesa and Mykolaiv since February. Uniquely, it is launched by Russia's large Orion drones, meaning Russia does not have to risk tactical aircraft, while its considerable range allows it to strike targets well behind enemy lines. In the future, reports say it will be launched by Mi-28 attack helicopters. Russia appeared to have produced 'a formidable weapon system' that could give its forces a 'significant advantage on the battlefield', said Vijainder K Thakur, a military analyst and former Indian fighter pilot. It also represents a significant milestone for Russia – the ability to produce a low-cost missile for mass production. For example, its SW800Pro jet engine, built by Chinese company Swiwin, is sold through online marketplaces, including China's AliExpress and Alibaba, for £12,000. But Chinese parts are just the beginning. By pulling apart downed Banderols, HUR discovered more than 20 key components coming from 30 companies, including from the US, Switzerland, Japan, Australia and South Korea. The discovery exposes the extent to which foreign technologies, often sourced from Kyiv's backers, have slipped through cracks in sanctions and ended up being fired at Ukraine. There has been no official Russian confirmation of the Banderol's specifications or operational status, and its development was kept secret until recently. In February, Moscow reported the first 'successful test flight of a new unmanned aerial vehicle' but offered no technical details. Ukrainian defence sources suspected it was the Banderol and soon after, reports of an unknown weapon striking Ukraine began to circulate. In late April, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy of Russia's security council, went to inspect the mystery weapon deep in southern Russia. He nodded his head, appearing impressed, as officials pointed to various design elements. Credit: X/@OSINTWarfare The S8000 is developed by the sanctioned Kronstadt Group, a Russian defence enterprise best known for producing the Orion UAVs. It appears to closely resemble America's joint air-to-surface standoff missile, a cornerstone of US long-range strike capabilities, designed to strike heavily defended targets without having to be launched inside hostile airspace. Russia's new missile also can make tighter turns than the country's traditional missiles and, according to Ukraine's HUR, has radar-evading technology and onboard anti-jamming systems. If the Banderol is capable of what Ukraine claims, it could mark the arrival of a new generation of precision-guided, low-cost munitions that pose a significant risk to Ukraine. But Russia's dependence on foreign components highlights the gaping so-called 'sanctions hole' that allows Russia to circumvent Western sanctions using convoluted supply chains via a third country, including China, Turkey, the UAE and neighbouring former Soviet states. Russian weapons 'depend on foreign components', HUR wrote alongside its Banderol report. 'Without them, they cannot continue to fight, occupy, and kill.' A Banderol reportedly contains a US-made motion tracking device, a microcontroller from Switzerland, an Australian-built information exchange model, a battery pack from Japan and a South Korean servo drive. HUR identified the 'Chip and DIP' network, one of Russia's largest electronics distributors, as a key supplier of many of the foreign components. It is sanctioned by the US and Ukraine, but not by the EU, UK, Japan and Australia. One of the great advantages of the Banderol missile is its low cost, according to John Hardie, a weapons expert and deputy director of the Russia programme at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 'The name of the game here is increasing Russia's strike depth and capacity to fire missiles in larger numbers,' he told The Telegraph. 'Ukraine is pretty successful at downing Russian missiles, but the more Russia can launch, the more likely they are to get through and the more Ukraine has to expend its limited supply of interceptor missiles.' According to a 2022 report by the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank, more than 450 foreign-made components were discovered in Russian weapons found in Ukraine, with 318 of them made in the US. 'We see the same picture today, often the same culprits,' said Maria Shagina, a senior sanctions researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Russia is both breaking sanctions and exploiting the loopholes. 'It all boils down to diversion, through intermediaries and third countries,' Ms Shagina said, adding that technologies were much harder to track than financial transactions. The key issue, she said, 'is that Western enforcement of sanctions is poor and the manufacturers must do better due diligence to who they supply. They do not ask the questions they should'. And when it comes to commercially available, off-the-shelf parts, it was near-impossible to prevent them from being procured by Russia. 'No one can crack down on all procurement networks and all circumvention schemes,' Ms Shagina added.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Russia's new ‘Frankenstein' missile terrorising Ukraine
For weeks, a new Russian missile has been tormenting Ukraine. It is fast, lethal and was unrecognisable until Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) unmasked it as the S8000 'Banderol'. Translated as 'small parcel' in English, it is a lightweight, low-cost, small cruise missile that reaches speeds of 400mph and can hit targets more than 300 miles away. It is also, specialists have found, a Frankenstein-like creation of foreign-sourced components which flies in the face of international sanctions. Kyiv says the precision-guided weapon, which carries a high-explosive 115kg warhead, has been used in deadly strikes on southern Ukraine, with unofficial reports saying it has been targeting Odesa and Mykolaiv since February. Uniquely, it is launched by Russia's large Orion drones, meaning Russia does not have to risk tactical aircraft, while its considerable range allows it to strike targets well behind enemy lines. In the future, reports say it will be launched by Mi-28 attack helicopters. Russia appeared to have produced 'a formidable weapon system' that could give its forces a 'significant advantage on the battlefield', said Vijainder K Thakur, a military analyst and former Indian fighter pilot. It also represents a significant milestone for Russia – the ability to produce a low-cost missile for mass production. For example, its SW800Pro jet engine, built by Chinese company Swiwin, is sold through online marketplaces, including China's AliExpress and Alibaba, for £12,000. But Chinese parts are just the beginning. By pulling apart downed Banderols, HUR discovered more than 20 key components coming from 30 companies, including from the US, Switzerland, Japan, Australia and South Korea. The discovery exposes the extent to which foreign technologies, often sourced from Kyiv's backers, have slipped through cracks in sanctions and ended up being fired at Ukraine. There has been no official Russian confirmation of the Banderol's specifications or operational status, and its development was kept secret until recently. In February, Moscow reported the first 'successful test flight of a new unmanned aerial vehicle' but offered no technical details. Ukrainian defence sources suspected it was the Banderol and soon after, reports of an unknown weapon striking Ukraine began to circulate. In late April, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy of Russia's security council, went to inspect the mystery weapon deep in southern Russia. He nodded his head, appearing impressed, as officials pointed to various design elements. Credit: X/@OSINTWarfare The S8000 is developed by the sanctioned Kronstadt Group, a Russian defence enterprise best known for producing the Orion UAVs. It appears to closely resemble America's joint air-to-surface standoff missile, a cornerstone of US long-range strike capabilities, designed to strike heavily defended targets without having to be launched inside hostile airspace. Russia's new missile also can make tighter turns than the country's traditional missiles and, according to Ukraine's HUR, has radar-evading technology and onboard anti-jamming systems. If the Banderol is capable of what Ukraine claims, it could mark the arrival of a new generation of precision-guided, low-cost munitions that pose a significant risk to Ukraine. But Russia's dependence on foreign components highlights the gaping so-called 'sanctions hole' that allows Russia to circumvent Western sanctions using convoluted supply chains via a third country, including China, Turkey, the UAE and neighbouring former Soviet states. Russian weapons 'depend on foreign components', HUR wrote alongside its Banderol report. 'Without them, they cannot continue to fight, occupy, and kill.' A Banderol reportedly contains a US-made motion tracking device, a microcontroller from Switzerland, an Australian-built information exchange model, a battery pack from Japan and a South Korean servo drive. HUR identified the 'Chip and DIP' network, one of Russia's largest electronics distributors, as a key supplier of many of the foreign components. It is sanctioned by the US and Ukraine, but not by the EU, UK, Japan and Australia. One of the great advantages of the Banderol missile is its low cost, according to John Hardie, a weapons expert and deputy director of the Russia programme at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 'The name of the game here is increasing Russia's strike depth and capacity to fire missiles in larger numbers,' he told The Telegraph. 'Ukraine is pretty successful at downing Russian missiles, but the more Russia can launch, the more likely they are to get through and the more Ukraine has to expend its limited supply of interceptor missiles.' According to a 2022 report by the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank, more than 450 foreign-made components were discovered in Russian weapons found in Ukraine, with 318 of them made in the US. 'We see the same picture today, often the same culprits,' said Maria Shagina, a senior sanctions researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Russia is both breaking sanctions and exploiting the loopholes. 'It all boils down to diversion, through intermediaries and third countries,' Ms Shagina said, adding that technologies were much harder to track than financial transactions. The key issue, she said, 'is that Western enforcement of sanctions is poor and the manufacturers must do better due diligence to who they supply. They do not ask the questions they should'. And when it comes to commercially available, off-the-shelf parts, it was near-impossible to prevent them from being procured by Russia. 'No one can crack down on all procurement networks and all circumvention schemes,' Ms Shagina added. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Russia's new ‘Frankenstein' missile terrorising Ukraine
For weeks, a new Russian missile has been tormenting Ukraine. It is fast, lethal and was unrecognisable until Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) unmasked it as the S8000 'Banderol'. Translated as 'small parcel' in English, it is a light-weight, low-cost, small cruise missile that reaches speeds of 400mph and can hit targets more than 300 miles away. It is also, specialists have found, a Frankenstein-like creation of foreign-sourced components which flies in the face of international sanctions. Kyiv says the precision-guided weapon, which carries a high-explosive 115kg warhead, has been used in deadly strikes on southern Ukraine, with unofficial reports saying it has been targeting Odesa and Mykolaiv since February. Uniquely, it is launched by Russia's large Orion drones, meaning Russia does not have to risk tactical aircraft, while its considerable range allows it to strike targets well behind enemy lines. In the future, reports say it will be launched by Mi-28 attack helicopters. Russia appears to have produced 'a formidable weapon system' that could give its forces a 'significant advantage on the battlefield', said Vijainder K Thakur, a military analyst and former Indian fighter pilot. It also represents a significant milestone for Russia – the ability to produce a low-cost missile for mass production. Its SW800Pro jet engine built by Chinese company Swiwin, for example, is sold through online marketplaces, including China's AliExpress and Alibaba for £12,000.
