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This was perhaps the most ambitious and challenging of programmes undertaken by HAL on concurrent design and production with the author as Team Leader during the period 2002 to 2006. The programme was named as DARIN-II, being essentially upgrade of the Jaguar strike fighter's NavWASS (Navigation and Weapon Aiming System), to the latest Display, Attack, Range and Inertial Navigation (DARIN) system. The programme required trial mod on a selected Jaguar trainer and a single-seat strike version of the Jaguar, which including spares and ground test rigs was at a sanctioned cost of Rs 73.4 crore ($ 18.35 million) as per the RMS order given by Air Head Quarters.
The Jaguar DARIN-II programme consisted of a comprehensive avionic systems upgrade, integration of new weapons, advanced weapon delivery modes, new sensors and incorporation of 'hot standby' philosophy using two mission computers. In all, a total of about thirty new LRUs and systems had to be integrated. The programme broadly involved the following :
* System design and preparation of specification documents
* Algorithm documents Software design and development
* Development of Mission Computer and related LRUs
* Testing and analysis, including
* Sub system level
* Software integration
* System integration on rigs and aircraft
* Flight tests
* Post flight analysis
* Weapon trials in the field
* Certification
Some 15 types of weapons were to be integrated into the Jaguar system, the majority for the IOC (Initial Operational Clearance) and remaining for the FOC (Final Operational Clearance) stage.
As the programme was initially envisaged, the Avionics Division of HAL at Korwa (near Amethi) was identified as nodal agency for design and development of the Mission Computer (MC), hardware and software with associated test equipment. The AircraftResearch and Design Centre (ARDC) of HAL was assigned the role of system design, preparation of top level system definition document, its integration on rigs and in the test aircraftleading to flight testing and, finally, certification. Other participating agencies were CEMILAC, DGAQA, Air HQs and its AircraftSystem Testing Establishment (ASTE) and SDI, plus the Accessories Division of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. HAL's Korwa Division awarded the contract to Smiths Industries of the UK (now part of the GE Group) for design, development and supply of the Mission Computer with associated...