The Saab 37 Viggen was a supersonic fighter in the arsenal of the Swedish Air Force. It was in service between 1971 and 2007, being a reliable combat aircraft with a very long career. It had been designed by Saab in the early 1960s to replace the J 32 Lansen. The Viggen was one of the first modern fighters in the world to fly with canard foreplanes and delta wings, which gave it excellent maneuverability and short take-off capacity respectively. It was built in three versions; the AJ 37 attack, JA 37 fighter/interceptor, and SF 37 photographic reconnaissance aircraft. In this latter role, it was used during the Cold War to follow and monitor Soviet warships in the Baltic Sea.
The prototype of the Viggen first flew on February 8, 1967, entering operational service with the Swedish Air Force on June 21, 1971. It was equipped from the very beginning with a digital central computer, which controlled sensors, radar, and the weapon system. Therefore, it could carry out missions day and night, and in all weather conditions. The aircraft was required to operate from stretches of highway, which the Swedish government had planned to use in the event of war. Thus, its landing gear low-pressure tires enabled this warplane to land and take off from roads. Although it was a complex machine, the systems used in this Swedish aircraft allowed conscript airmen to maintain it with ease only after 11 months of national service.
Technical Description
The Saab 37 Viggen was a single-seat, single-engine, jet monoplane. It was fitted with delta-shaped, low wing, which had irregular leading edge that swept at three different angles. The wing trailing edge was equipped with aileron and flap. Set up in front of and above wings, there was a pair of canard foreplanes, which were also delta-shaped and had flaps on its trailing edge. The aircraft was powered by one Volvo Flygmotor RM8 afterburning turbofan engine, which was the first aircraft power plant to be equipped with thrust reverser, which enabled the warplane to decelerate (decrease the velocity) quicker.
The fuselage of the Viggen was all-metal and it was built with a honeycomb construction technique to reduce the weight of the airframe. The tail assembly lacked the classical horizontal stabilizer (tailplane) as it was fitted only with a vertical stabilizer (fin), which was triangular and large. The aircraft had an spacious and comfortable cockpit equipped with a heavily strengthened, wraparound canopy. In front of the pilot, the cockpit had multi-function displays, which showed all the necessary flight and combat information. It was fitted with Red Baron multi-sensor pod, with infrared scanner, which allowed operations to be flown at night.
Specifications
Type: fighter/attack aircraft
Length: 16.30 m (53 feet, 6 inches)
Wing Span: 10.60 m (34 feet, 9 inches)
Wing Area: 46 m2 (495 square feet)
Height: 5.80 m (19 feet)
Power Plant: one Volvo Flygmotor RM8A afterburning turbofan engine, which supplied 26,000 pounds of thrust.
Maximum Speed: 2,125 km/h (1,320 mph)/ or Mach 1.7
Range: 2,000 km (1,200 miles)
Rate of Climb: 203 m/s (40,000 feet/minute)
Service Ceiling: 18,300 m (60,040 feet)
Armament: one 30-mm Oerlikon KCA cannon; six AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles or four Skyflash air-to-air missile; two RB-04 or RBS-15 air-to-surface anti-ship missiles; provision to carry up to 7,000 kg (15,000-lb) of bombs.
Below, a photograph of the Viggen in flight banking and rolling out, exposing its belly.
The Saab 37 flying over the Baltic Sea. It is painted in green, brown, and black camouflage.
Below, the reconnaissance version of this Swedish combat aircraft in flight. You can notice it is fitted with the Red Baron multi-sensor pod mounted on the belly of fuselage.
