Recently I was browsing a bit in one of the groups on Facebook, and I came across Jaguar XX979, which was a GR.1 which seems to have been modified to serve as a testbed for the anti-ship variant of the Jag which was eventually used by the Indians. The main noticeable difference is in the nose, which has extended in order to potentially house the radar necessary for locking onto a target. This is highly interesting as I had never realised that such an aircraft existed in UK colours. For context, the latter two images were taken when the aircraft was with the A&AEE.
Weapons included in the display below are:
Paveway LGBs
AGM-84 Harpoons
AM.39 Exocet
R.550 Magic
AIM-9 Sidewinder (most likely Limas)
Matra Durandals
SNEB rockets
BL.755
various General Purpose bombs
It must be noted that many of these must be mockups and it is possible that these are there in order to show what the aircraft is capable of carrying, rather than showing what was integrated with the weapons. It is also likely that some weapons may not be displayed, such as Sea Eagle, which was the weapon chosen for use on the Indian Jaguars in this configuration, as far as I can remember.
XX979 was reduced to spares, but the cockpit survives at the Neatished Radar Museum.
If you have any information or images featuring this aircraft, please post it below. Any help is greatly appreciated.
(All credits for the photos go to their respective owners)
