Anglo‐French Jaguar Strike/Trainer Aircraft: A brief description of Jaguar with various systems supplied by British firms examined in some detail in a later section

Abstract

THE prototype Jaguar E‐01 was due to fly, as we closed for press, from Istres airfield in the south of France, a mere thirty‐nine months after the signing of the memorandum of understanding by the British and French governments that initiated the programme in 1965. To proceed from the brochure stage (submitted to the two governments in November 1965 by both companies, including performance specifications and equipment schedules) to having the first prototype aircraft flying in such a short period of time must be regarded as a considerable achievement by any standards. The achievement is all the more noteworthy for this being a collaborative project it has been subject to all the difficulties that might arise when two nations pool their resources to produce an aircraft that has to fulfil what were originally two different specifications. In this instance it was found that the specifications dove‐tailed in a most satisfactory manner; e.g. the power required for a good take‐off performance also gave supersonic capability at altitude. British Aircraft Corporation and Breguet Aviation, the two airframe companies involved, had not had direct contact with each other before they were informed by their respective governments of the forced marriage. The marriage has proved to be, although it might perhaps be considered bigamous in view of the British company's relations with Sud‐Aviation, a most happy and harmonious one which has already produced a vigorous offspring in the shape of S.E.P.E.C.A.T., the French registered company that acts as the managing organisation on the project (the management structure of the project was described in AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING May, 1968, p. 3).

Citation

(1968), "Anglo‐French Jaguar Strike/Trainer Aircraft: A brief description of Jaguar with various systems supplied by British firms examined in some detail in a later section", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 40 No. 8, pp. 8-9. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb034406