New Delhi, May 22: The Jaguar fighter jet, renowned for its deep penetration strike capability, is currently facing a critical issue similar to that once encountered by the MiG-21 jets: a shortage of spare parts. Reports indicate that India is now the only country still operating the Jaguar fighter jet globally. Manufacturers of Jaguar parts have expressed their inability to supply necessary components.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) highlighted this issue in its Capability Roadmap document. According to the report, the Martin-Baker ejection seats installed in the Jaguar aircraft are becoming obsolete. The primary reason cited is the lack of spare parts availability from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Martin-Baker has indicated that it cannot supply over 250 lines of essential spare parts.
To address this challenge, the Air Force is currently repairing the existing ejection seats in-house. However, officials believe that a permanent solution is crucial to prevent further obsolescence of these seats. It is essential to meet the precise specifications for size, fitting, functionality, and material standards. The Air Force is now working towards developing a domestic solution.
Defense officials noted that any aircraft must undergo various inspection processes before flight. These checks ensure that every part is functioning correctly, the appropriate ammunition is loaded, and all systems are operational. Additionally, fuel levels and other critical checks are conducted. This information is recorded on a form known as Form-700, which all inspection officers must sign. Once all checks are completed, this form is handed to the pilot. If any issues are noted on Form-700, the aircraft is not cleared for flight.
The ejection seat is a vital component of any aircraft. In the event of a bird strike, engine failure, or other technical malfunction, it is the ejection seat that safely extracts the pilot from the aircraft. With the OEM unable to provide spare parts, many critical components of the ejection seat will reach the end of their service life, making it impossible for the aircraft to fly. This is why the Air Force is urgently seeking domestic solutions before the parts reach their end of life. Currently, the Indian Air Force operates six upgraded squadrons of the Jaguar.
Looking at the current fleet status, various MiG-21 variants, including the MiG-21 Bis, MiG-21 Type-96, MiG-27, and MiG-21 Bison, have already been phased out. The MiG-29s are also set to be gradually retired starting in 2030. Following this, three squadrons of Mirage-2000 and six squadrons of Jaguar will also enter the phasing-out process. By 2035, the Air Force’s older fighter fleet will be nearly entirely retired.
To bridge this gap, the Air Force is relying on the indigenous Tejas Mark-1A fighter jet and the procurement of 114 multi-role fighter aircraft. A contract for a total of 220 Tejas fighter jets has been signed with HAL. So far, 38 Tejas Mark-1 jets have been inducted into the Air Force, while deliveries of the 180 Tejas Mark-1A jets have yet to commence.
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