But even if the Indians did lease or sell out Jaguars, they wouldn’t be the upgraded airframes but the oldest and least valuable ones. As for UK, I don’t think they have stored airworthy Jaguars left – just bunch of examples used in maintenance training, I believe.

Jaguar is an old style ‘bomb truck’, relatively simple and cost-efficient one-trick pony aircraft. But this kind of plane doesn’t fit to modern requirements where you have to hit precisely and avoid losses. To be useful it needs to be upgraded heavily and then it is no longer cheap. If one for some reason would want to acquire used attack aircraft, there are better options – retired Mirages or F-16’s, or recently retired French SEMs which were already upgraded to the max.

I don’t agree that the Jaguars doesn’t fit into modern requirements to hit precisely and avoid losses. Un-upgraded ones, yes, perhaps.

But IAF Jaguars of even the earlier DARIN 2 standard for the IAF carry LGBs, have a modern HOTAS cockpit with autopilot so the pilot can focus on the target ID, designation and self protection suites with RWR and chaff/flares. With in-flight refueling their ranges are way better than earlier and the IAF has even used the DARIN 2 Jaguar IM variant to fly out 200 NM into the Arabian Sea, fire a Harpoon AShM and fly back.

The new DARIN 3 Jaguar is a much upgraded variant that in avionics terms is really upto scratch. Nearly fully digital cockpit with a new HUD, new open architecture mission computer, etc. and will be used for the SEAD role as well.

From ACIG.org, although a bit dated, by now the first DARIN 3 has already flown and configuration would have been frozen.

The so-called ‘D-3 Jaguar IS’ are featuring the same HUD as on LCA ‘Tejas’, along with three MFD-55 AMLCDs supplied by THALES-Samtel Display Systems and full HOTAS controls, all utilising a MIL-STD-1553B digital databus. The core avionics computer – reportedly the same as in the MiG-27UPG upgrade at HAL-Nasik – is the OSAMC (Open Systems Architecture Mission Computer) originally developed by DARE and now produced by an India-US joint venture involving HAL, ‘Edge Tech India’ and US-based ‘Edgewood Ventures LLC’. An integrated defensive aids suite (IDAS) is coming from DRDO and Cassidian, including the D-3’s to be equipped with RAFAEL Litening-3SU laser designation pods for all-weather standoff-attacks using precision-guided munitions.

Undecided in DARIN-III are the EW escort-jammers/towed-decoy systems, with offers from Raytheon (ALQ-184(V)9), BAE-Systems (ALE-55), IAI/ELTA (EL/L-8251) and RAFAEL (‘Sky Shield’ escort-jammer / ‘X-Guard’). The fibre-optic towed-*decoy is to produce a full range of noise- and deception-signals be*tween 4.5GHz and 18GHz.

and the Raytheon MCU that allowed for integration of a wide range of weapons.

Ray*theon, meanwhile, since late 2009 has sucessfully integrated its munitions control unit (MCU) on an IAF Jaguar IS testbed, not allowed to be seen. The MCU is described as plug-and-play to enable integration of many modern weapons on legacy aircraft with minimal modifications to aircraft wiring and no changes to the flight and stores management software. Once integrated on an air*craft, aircrews can employ both exsting standoff-PGMs and A/A-missiles while using the aircraft’s existing weap*ons management system. Raytheon plans to finish the work by mid 2011.

But, they did delete the internal gun and replaced it with an internally-mounted ELTA Systems-supplied EL/M-8022 self-protection EW suite.

from another blog

The Tribune reported on September 9, 2015 that certain issues “over offset clauses involving HAL” were holding up the contract with Honeywell for upgrade of Jaguar engines; these have now been resolved, paving the way for commercial and technical negotiations to start.
Need for Upgrade
The IAF currently operates around 110 (5 1/2 sqns) Jaguar strike fighters powered by Rolls-Royce Adour-811 turbofan engines. The aircraft, which first entered squadron service in the early 80s, is optimized for strike after low level penetration of contested airspace. At medium altitudes, the Jaguar’s maneuverability and acceleration are poor. As a result, the fighter is not suitable for stand-off close air support using Precision Guided Munition (PGM).

The IAF is making a doctrinal shift from specialized aircraft to multi-role aircraft, Based on fatigue analysis, the IAF estimates that Jaguars could remain operational till 2030. As a result, the IAF is keen to upgrade the Jaguar with more powerful engine, fourth-generation cockpit and mission avionics, and self protection suite so that it better fits IAF doctrinal thinking.

Upgraded Jaguars will feature all weather precision attack capability with enhanced weapon load.

Upgrade Features

The planned upgrade includes:

More powerful engines
Higher capacity alternators
Multi-mode radar
Glass cockpit with DARIN-3 navigation and attack avionics suite HOTAS controls and improved HUD
Auto Pilot
Helmet mounted Display

An Integrated Defensive Aids Suite (IDAS) is being co-developed by the DRDO’s Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE) and Cassidian (formerly EADS Defense Electronics). The suite includes DRDO developed Tarang radar warning receiver (RWR).
..

DARIN 3 upgrade features

What it cannot do as well as the multi-role 4th generation fighters is self escort or self defend well. It has the ASRAAM as its primary self defence missile.

But, it is underpowered for some types of missions, at medium and high altitudes. This was found to be an issue during the Kargil war, where the Mirage-2000 was able to take over that mission.

Anyway, since the fatigue analysis revealed that the Jaguar fleet still had adequate life left in it, they’ll go on serving till 2030. Basically, the IAF has a large fleet of these, they can continue serving without any fatigue issues and can be modernised relatively cheap, compared to what the Mirage-2000 upgrade cost. As mentioned earlier, the IAF needs every airframe it can keep in service, but they need to be relevant and able to survive their missions. Without those upgrades, the Jaguars of French AF or RAF spec are not relevant in some scenarios.

Czech AF expresses L-39NG interest

Well, the RAF prematurely retired their Jaguar force to keep the Tornado force intact, didn’t it? Don’t see how they could ever be convinced to pull stored Jaguar airframes (if there are any stored) and put them through upgrades to bring them back into service. The question of leasing Jags from the IAF doesn’t even arise since the IAF needs every airframe it can keep in service. 61 of the latest Jaguars are going through DARIN 3 upgrades, but there are other DARIN 2 upgraded Jags that could have been sold or leased if the IAF itself didn’t want to keep them in service for as long as possible.

But I didn’t understand how the French AF would benefit from a Jag force..they’re upgrading their Mirage-2000Ds and those Mirages will be a more flexible and capable jet anyday.

As for Sweden, I can’t see how a Jag force would make any sense for them..never operated Jags, and they have Gripen A and Cs in storage. They are struggling to find the justification to keep as many in service and storage as they can. Spending money on any other procurement is just never going to happen.

So are the MiG-35 pre-production prototypes going to be fitted with the Zhuk-AMEh AESA radar?

it all depends on the price of making it. a huge chunk of that price is manhours to make it… if you can have competent workers for a lesser price, your selling price can be lower as well

I doubt that Embraer would’ve been able to make the Rafale in fewer number of man-hours than Dassault could. Even so, even with a 10% reduction in price, the Rafale is too expensive for ANY nation in Latin America, simply based on its flyaway cost. Simply put, none of them face a threat scenario that would drive them to such an expensive system. It is one of the best, absolutely, but overkill and too expensive for them. And so, an exclusive right to sell Rafale in Latin America would’ve meant nothing in reality in terms of sales.