The upgraded Jaguar fighter aircraft fitted with an advanced AESA (active electronically scanned array) radar recorded its maiden flight at the HAL airport here on Thursday.

Equipped with advanced features such as multi-target tracking frequency agility, higher bandwidth of operation, interleaved modes of operation, higher resolution and accuracies, the aircraft Jaguar Darin III is being upgraded by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) for the Indian Air Force.

Besides the AESA radar, the fighter will also be equipped with 28 new sensors. The upgrade is expected to let Jaguar fly in IAF squadrons for another 10 years. The aircraft had received the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) in November 2016.

The upgrade also features Engine and Flight Instrument System (EFIS), Fire Control Radar, Inertial Navigation System with GPS and Geodetic height correction. Also fitted to the aircraft is a Solid State Digital Video Recording System (SSDVRS) and other advanced equipment.

Jaguar makes maiden flight with advanced radar