Nigerian Jaguar armament?

[RMP2]

Hello folks.

Would anyone happen to know what, if any, ordnance was supplied with the ill fated Nigerian Jags or what they carried in their brief lifespan? I'd assume the practice bomb dispensers but anything more?

 

Also their T2 variants - purely flight trainers or could they carry anything including the dispensers?

 

 

[canberra kid]

6 hours ago, RMP2 said:

Hello folks.

Would anyone happen to know what, if any, ordnance was supplied with the ill fated Nigerian Jags or what they carried in their brief lifespan? I'd assume the practice bomb dispensers but anything more?

 

Also their T2 variants - purely flight trainers or could they carry anything including the dispensers?

 

 

Do these shed any light?

John

[RMP2]

14 minutes ago, canberra kid said:

Do these shed any light?

 

John

 

Thanks, John but as I suspect you are aware they are just demonstrations of potential or possible bits to be slung under a Jag. The ALARMs are particularly optimistic, similar re the dual rather than tandem carrier on the centre line, but all I can find are similar photos of the NAF aircraft here in the UK with anything on them.

 

Theres a few photos Ive found of them in Nigeria, but always with nothing loaded and often with no pylons at all, possibly post service too.

Looking at the Alpha Jets the NAF used perhaps Matra or even the Russian rocket pods may have been supplied/fiited/used?

 

Really struggling on this one, so any help would be great although I suspect given the history it might be a bit of a dead end.

[canberra kid]

Yes, though the black and white one looks like it's at Warton? The only other ones with stores are drop tanks

John

[RMP2]

Could be Warton, I honestly wouldn't know.

I see civilian serials though, would that mean predelivery? Strongly suspect publicity shots there and I'm doubtful they ever came back for overhaul given the purchase payment difficulties

[Julien]

Given the fact they hardly flew doubt they ever carried anything.

[RMP2]

4 hours ago, Julien said:

Given the fact they hardly flew doubt they ever carried anything.

 

It seems that would be the case. I asked the question in a Jaguar Facebook group and that confirmed it:

 

"Nigerian Jaguars never carried any weapons, not even practice bombs. It was just a status symbol / flying club sort of a thing. They used to just fly up and down the Benue River, from Makurdi, always keeping the river in sight, so as to not get lost. I remember one day one of the pilots did get lost, ran out of fuel and ejected."

 

And a bit of interesting insight from Wez in the Africa GB:

 

"I was at Cosford doing my trade training when the Nigerian technicians were getting their trade training on the NAVWASS system fitted to the Jag's. NAVWASS was based around an inertial platform and had to have compensation for the Coriolis effect applied to it.  Due to cultural and religious differences they didn't believe there was any need for this compensation, in the end their instructor just told them to ignore it, we all wished our instructors had told us to do likewise, I recall having to describe it in great detail during my practical board for the system!"

 

I knew they made a bit of a mess of things re the purchase, servicing, equipment etc but that seems like an awful waste of some rather potent aircraft really. Funny old world.

[Wandering Minstrel]

59 minutes ago, RMP2 said:

 

It seems that would be the case. I asked the question in a Jaguar Facebook group and that confirmed it:

 

"Nigerian Jaguars never carried any weapons, not even practice bombs. It was just a status symbol / flying club sort of a thing. They used to just fly up and down the Benue River, from Makurdi, always keeping the river in sight, so as to not get lost. I remember one day one of the pilots did get lost, ran out of fuel and ejected."

 

And a bit of interesting insight from Wez in the Africa GB:

 

"I was at Cosford doing my trade training when the Nigerian technicians were getting their trade training on the NAVWASS system fitted to the Jag's. NAVWASS was based around an inertial platform and had to have compensation for the Coriolis effect applied to it.  Due to cultural and religious differences they didn't believe there was any need for this compensation, in the end their instructor just told them to ignore it, we all wished our instructors had told us to do likewise, I recall having to describe it in great detail during my practical board for the system!"

 

I knew they made a bit of a mess of things re the purchase, servicing, equipment etc but that seems like an awful waste of some rather potent aircraft really. Funny old world.

 

 There's a chapter in the Jaguar Boys book by a Brit pilot on contract to the NAF with BAe and there's a certain level of dark comedy in there about the ineptitude of the NAF crews and techs. Rereading the chapter he mentions flying 108 hrs on a two year contract, while in the RAF he was flying about 230 hrs a year, mostly he puts this down to a lack of fuel but also that only aout half of the aircraft were even serviceable when he arrived in Nigeria.

 

 He does mention flying with drop tanks and that live weapon carriage was forbidden after an attempted coup, this in a section where he details setting up a bombing range at the NAF's request.

[upnorth]

Buy the purchase contract, they would not have been allowed to buy any advanced weapons for their Jags. Iron bombs and rocket pods might have been the most they could carry.

 

Going by this article, the Nigerian Jaguar deal was ill advised from the get go:

https://beegeagle.wordpress.com/2012/08/22/how-nigeria-lost-the-use-of-her-jaguar-jets-without-most-of-them-logging-up-200-hours/

Edited February 20, 2021 by upnorth

[RMP2]

7 hours ago, Wandering Minstrel said:

 

 There's a chapter in the Jaguar Boys book by a Brit pilot on contract to the NAF with BAe and there's a certain level of dark comedy in there about the ineptitude of the NAF crews and techs. Rereading the chapter he mentions flying 108 hrs on a two year contract, while in the RAF he was flying about 230 hrs a year, mostly he puts this down to a lack of fuel but also that only aout half of the aircraft were even serviceable when he arrived in Nigeria.

 

 He does mention flying with drop tanks and that live weapon carriage was forbidden after an attempted coup, this in a section where he details setting up a bombing range at the NAF's request.

 

I have the book, cheers, I'll have a rummage

 

[Truro Model Builder]

Funny coincidence. I had an email only the other day from somebody in Nigeria telling me I had won a Jaguar in a prize draw and to claim it I needed to move £20,000 into a bank account.

 

Seriously, I always thought the Nigerian Jaguar camouflage was the best ever worn by the type.

Edited February 26, 2021 by Truro Model Builder

[RMP2]

On 2/20/2021 at 6:08 PM, Wandering Minstrel said:

 

 There's a chapter in the Jaguar Boys book by a Brit pilot on contract to the NAF with BAe and there's a certain level of dark comedy in there about the ineptitude of the NAF crews and techs. Rereading the chapter he mentions flying 108 hrs on a two year contract, while in the RAF he was flying about 230 hrs a year, mostly he puts this down to a lack of fuel but also that only aout half of the aircraft were even serviceable when he arrived in Nigeria.

 

 He does mention flying with drop tanks and that live weapon carriage was forbidden after an attempted coup, this in a section where he details setting up a bombing range at the NAF's request.

 

Found it. Yes, an interesting chapter. No idea how I missed it, had the book ages and thought Id read it all, so thanks for that.

 

Seems France and the UK were reluctant/refusing to sell weapons due to both the multiple coup attempts and impressions that Nigeria were looking to take territory or at least had "aspirations".

A few photos out there of other NAF aircraft with both Russian and what look to be Matra rocket pods on them though. A Jag in that camo with Russian UB-32 or B8 pods would be an interesting subject...