Yes, Finningley Boy; you’re right.
The basics are that after Gulf War I, there was a desire to incorporate all the ‘goodies’ that had worked so well into the jets on a permanent basis. The air staff, without reference to the head of the support organisation, decided to pay for these updates by giving up/selling off a large number of aircraft and using the money thus generated. BUT – the costing process does not work like that and the offer of savings was immediately accepted and the money for the update??: ‘ah well, we need to see the outcome of the spending round, old boy’.
The problem with selling off the jets was that they were the ‘fatigue bank’ which would allow the aircraft to go on to its (then) out of service date (wings and airframes were separate entities). After a very considerable struggle, the jets were saved but the updates were only approved in part and only for the reduced number that the air staff had said they could live with. This brought all sorts of issues of the type shown in the video clips and I need not rehearse those here in specifics.
The event at which I hinted in the previous post came about when the ‘Support Authority’ held a review at the base to brief the great and good. It was decided to repeat the essentials of the brief for those who hadn’t been around the day before and also as many of the station staff as possible. As an aside, the thing I loved about working on the Jaguar was the ‘community spirit’.
When discussion got round to the ever present issues of money, I commented that we were being squeezed so badly that we could end up with the jets modified and ever more capable but no funds to support them effectively. Up jumps thrusting squadron commander and accuses me of ‘being trite’ and ‘if you can’t sort your budget priorities out, somebody else should’. I was unable to convince ‘young thruster’ of the realities of the process and we eventually moved on.
A constant problem with managing an aircraft weapon system was that money wouldn’t be given for long term improvements for an aircraft with just a few years life left. With Jaguar to be replaced by Typhoon and that aircraft always ‘slipping’, the life of the Jaguar was only being extended in dribs and drabs and the money needed to address the age related stuff was increasing all the time.
As a final point in support of the validity of the video clip, I have just spotted another Thread here which refers to a ‘Jaguar Reunion’ – but only pilots need apply!!
Old Duffer
PS Loved every minute of my time with Jaguar and ‘twas best job I ever had in the mob and really super people as well – comments above were just a small part of the whole business.