SEPECAT Jaguar Avionics

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Elliott's get Jaguar order
the uk Ministry of Technology's £5m order for the inertial navigation and weapon aiming system manufactured by Elliott Flight Automation Ltd for use with a large proportion of the RAF's Jaguars numerically represents the largest single order for digital computers ever placed for the UK armed forces.
The Elliott system is claimed to give the pilot the ability to select and locate his targets without any ground assistance, and to make extremely accurate attacks against targets of opportunity as well as pre-planned objectives. This capability has been achieved by combining the high-performance Elliott E.3R inertial system with the Marconi Elliott 920M miniature airborne computer. Instant visual access to navigation and aiming data is provided by a simple group of uncomplicated controls used in conjunction with pictorial and symbolic displays to allow him the fullest use of the system.
Elliott's E.3R is the third generation of an inertial system which started with the equipment for the Blue Steel standoff bomb. The basic E.3 is already in production for the HS Nimrod. The Marconi/Elliott 920M computer has also been proven and is on order for satellite launch vehicle control and for mobile air defence control centres. In the Jaguar system, it will perform all navigation calculations and produce weapon aiming and release commands for the pilot. With a basic store of 8,192 words and a two-microsecond store cycle time, the 920M occupies a fATR short box and is fully stressed for combat aircraft environment.
For navigation, a projected map display comprising a 35 mm colour film of topographical maps for an area of 750 n miles (863 miles; 1 388 km) square is presented to the pilot under the control of the computer. Data on geographical reference points, terrain features and targets can be inserted using a trigger and slew controls. Trials to date have proved an inertial navigation accuracy better than specified and production work is in hand.

Flying Review International, August 1970

 

[JCage]

Some original equipment on IAF Jaguars manufactured at HAL India, all images copyright HAL

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Aircraft/Specs/index.html

while HAL-built Jaguars have the more modern DARIN (Display Attack and Ranging Inertial Navigation) avionics suite which features a wide field-of-view Smiths (GEC Avionics) Type 1301 HUDWAC (Head-Up Display & Weapon Aiming Computer), a GEC-Ferranti COMED 2045 (Combined Map & Electronic Display), a SAGEM ULISS 82 INS and a LRMTS (Laser Ranger and Marked Target Seeker). The system also includes locally-designed IFF, ADF, radar altimeter, V/UHF and HF/SSB equipment. HAL-built Jaguars also have the MIL-STD-1553B digital databus, allowing for the fitting of a wide range of new weapons and systems.

 

[JCage]

HUDWAC

 

[Privateer]

I'm sorry to dig up this old topic, but I didn't want to open a new topic just because of one Jaguar related question.

Does anybody know what kind of operational modes the GEC-Ferranti COMED 2045 display in the Indian Jaguars had? I'm especially interested in wheter it could also display radar and TV pictures?

How did the French Jaguars utilize the ATLIS II laser targeting pod, via a dedicated TV display or maybe just via the HUD?

 

[jojo57]

French auar used a small TV screen, just right to the HUD

 

[TsrJoe]

http://rochesteravionicarchives.co.uk/document-archive/brochures/jaguar-international-navigation-attack-system-options

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

I'm sorry to dig up this old topic, but I didn't want to open a new topic just because of one Jaguar related question.

Does anybody know what kind of operational modes the GEC-Ferranti COMED 2045 display in the Indian Jaguars had? I'm especially interested in wheter it could also display radar and TV pictures?

How did the French Jaguars utilize the ATLIS II laser targeting pod, via a dedicated TV display or maybe just via the HUD?

COMED is an acronym derived from Combined Map and Electronic Display. Topographical information recorded in full-colour on 35 mm film can be displayed on the screen of COMED. Graphical information generated electronically can also be projected on the COMED screen. This includes scan converted radar, alphanumeric data from a computer, or video signals (either 625 or 875 lines) obtained from low-light television (LLTV) or forward-looking infrared (FLIR) cameras and sensors. Both the photographic and electronically generated information can be displayed either separately, or together. Thus a moving-map indicating the aircraft's present position can be shown on COMED with, superimposed upon it, waypoints, command tracks and any other data, either graphical or alphanumeric, that may be relevant. Battle intelligence could also be displayed electronically by superimposing on the COMED projected map such details as enemy SAM sites, defended areas, forward edges of battle zones and similar tactical details.

COMED — THE COCKPIT DISPLAY OF THE FUTURE
by E. W. Hare
Ferranti Inertial Systems Department

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Basically its a monochrome MFD, with a film-based moving map display, in one unit. It was obviously made obsolete once adequate maps could be stored digitally. Its the same as the F/A-18A moving map display (this was originally a Ferranti COMED 2035 built under license by Bendix)

 

[yahya]

Can our experts share what functions were integrated into the GR3/GR3A Multi-function Display please? Did it provide TERPROM nav/attack and the GPS readout? An EFIS with moving map? Any details on its maker and nomenclature are welcome.

Also, did the GR3/3A use the Sky Guardian 200 RWR? What kind of ECM was installed on these birds? The ECM controller can be seen on the photo below just under the RWR's CRT screen.

Source: Wikipedia

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

I doubt you'll find anything much published on the GR3 LCD modes. Best bet is a former pilot.

There's pretty good detail on the old GR1 avionics however.

 

[yahya]

Alas.

 

[baigar]

Flying Review International, August 1970

Great picture showing the NAVWASS suite - many thanks for sharing. Over the years I restored a 920M computer to working condition, and the following video shows its internals and gives an impression by running some software again:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-gF5g0nnoE

For illustration I compiled a time line, putting the 920M into context to the famous PDP series well known in the academic/scientific world and some events in computing:



Noteworthy is, that is that the Elliott 900 series spawns the 2nd to 4th generation computers with the first ones entering service in 1962 and the last ones probably after 60+ years of service still being in use on board the German Tornados. Esp. the 920M is en-par with the Appolo Guidance Computer (AGC), which received really a lot attention while the 920M became completey unknown nowadays :-(

Three incarnations of the Elliott 900 series to which the 920M from Jaguar belongs to, are in my collection and restored to working condition which required building power supplies and interface electronics - they are marked in yellow in the next diagram, giving an impression on the development of the family regarding memory and speed over the time of active development between 1962 and 1982:



Research into that and firing up such avionics stuff was (and still is) an exciting journey: See http://www.programmer-electronic-control.de/index.html on the Elliott 900 series and http://www.baigar.de/TornadoComputerUnit/TimeLine.html on the other activities that triggered.

Would be more than happy getting hands on schematics of any of the 900 series military computer (esp. the 920M, 920ME and PEC) to fill the "white areas" in my analysis ;-)

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Very interesting work. Thanks for sharing.