A three-member IAF audit team left for Bangalore today to check the control systems on the Jaguar, in light of the fleet being grounded after parts were found missing, even as South Block decided to fit the aircraft with TACAN navigation aid and auto-pilot system.Six Jaguars are slated to participate in the joint Indo-US exercise in the second week of July. South Block sources said the TACAN, purchased from Thallus, France, will be fitted on the Jaguar within a year, along with the auto-pilot system. As of now, the multi-role SU-30 and the Mirage-2000 are equipped with the auto-pilot system.The team will do an audit of the entire control systems of the six Jaguars which are to fly to Alaska on June 23, following the discovery of a missing nut in the Jaguar which crashed on May 7 near Ambala, and a split pin in another aircraft. The missing spares have raised several questions on the quality control checks at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bangalore, and the audit team will also look into the role of the CRE/CRI team set up to monitor all major overhauls.Incidentally, the Jaguars go to HAL for its third line servicing and the split pins and nuts are fitted there during major overhauls.It is learnt that Air Headquarters has also decided to purchase 105 fire tenders to improve safety on ground and the latest approach radars are also being purchased to help fighter-aircraft to land on remote air bases.Meanwhile, IAF and HAL technicians and representatives of the original manufacturers, British Aerospace Systems, have extensive checks on the Jaguar. The checks will take at least four-five days before they are cleared for flying duties. However, IAF officials insisted that the operational requirements of the Force would not be compromised and if the need arose, the Jaguars would be cleared for flying. ‘‘In case of a national emergency, they will be allowed to participate in operations and no compromise will be made on national security requirements,’’ said a senior official.
