Register

Warbirds seem to be the flavour of the month in this issue’s New Allocations section with the biggest news being the addition of SEPECAT Jaguar VH-UXB – although it seems unlikely that it will be seen in Australia.

The Jaguar is an Anglo-French jet fighter capable of supersonic speeds and able to carry nuclear weapons. It was a joint venture between the British Aircraft Corporation and French company Breguet who formed SEPECAT and built 543 Jaguars between 1968 and 1981. The engine too was a joint venture between Rolls-Royce and Turbomeca, which was a high-thrust turbofan with afterburner named the Adour. The aircraft initially served with the RAF and French Air Force but was also sold in smaller numbers to the Oman, Ecuadorian, Nigerian and Indian Air Forces and is still operational with the latter. The type was retired from the RAF in April 2007 being replaced by the Tornado and Typhoon with the French Air Force retiring its aircraft during July 2005 being replaced by Dassault Rafales.