As the Cold War covered the world
with the dark cloud of impending doom, Swedish engineers began a desperate
race to produce a revolutionary multi-role fighter capable of
fending off any Soviet warplane. With its unique canard design,
double delta wing configuration, iconic airframe, and prominent vertical
stabilizer, the Saab 37 Viggen aircraft took to the skies looking like a menacing
double-winged arrow pointed right at the sun. Blasting through the sound barrier at over Mach 2, powered by a beastly adaptation of
the Pratt & Whitney JT8 turbo engine, this fighter flaunted the globe’s most remarkable
lift-to-drag ratio at daring angles of attack. But what made it extraordinary was
that it was the first warplane to carry an airborne digital central
computer with integrated circuits for its avionics. No aircraft could
elude it, arguably making it the most advanced combat aircraft in Europe when
it first took to the skies in June 1971. In the 80s, the Viggen would get a chance to prove
its high-tech equipment was not just for show. Over the Europe-Soviet border one of America’s
most sophisticated and technologically advanced spy planes, the SR-71 Blackbird had blown one of
its engines. Two Viggens scrambled into action, racing against time to intercept
and escort the damaged Blackbird. It was do-or-die: reach the Blackbird before the
Soviets got a chance to blow it out of the sky… Sweden’s steadfast dedication to neutrality has
demanded a self-sufficient defense game plan. This dogged independence has driven the nation to
forge its own path in developing military might, particularly in the skies. The Nordic powerhouse
has carved out its niche, crafting warbirds in-house, sidestepping the need to lean on the
military machinery of the globe’s heavyweights. Swedish warplanes, such as those produced by
Saab, including the famous Draken, Viggen, and, more recently, the Gripen, are
known for their quality, reliability, and advanced technology. Sweden has invested
heavily in research and development to ensure its warplanes incorporate cutting-edge
technology and innovations. This focus on high-tech solutions has allowed Swedish
warplanes to remain competitive on a global scale, all while remaining considerably
cheaper than other nations’ fighter jets. By the 1950s, the nation’s design philosophy
and reputation were well established. As the Saab’s prototype Draken, the world’s
then most aerodynamically slick fighter, took to the skies for its maiden voyage in 1955,
the Swedish Air Force was already piecing together a wish list for the next big thing in their
repertoire of innovative airplane design. They were dreaming big and complex, foreseeing
a design odyssey that wouldn’t bear fruit until well into the swinging ’60s. Between the
years 1952 and 1957, the drawing boards buzzed with the brainstorming sessions
of Finnish aircraft wizard Aarne Lakomaa, exploring a bewildering array
of over 100 configurations. Lakomaa headed the R&D department and was a
living legend in Swedish aircraft design, having started his career fitting captured Soviet engines
into old French fighters during the Winter War. His designs ranged from solo to dual engines, embraced both classic and innovative double
delta wings, flirted with canard wings, and even gave a nod to the then-futuristic Vertical
Takeoff and Landing designs, albeit briefly. Right from the get-go, the Viggen broke the
mold. It was a comprehensive weapon system, fully integrated and ready to sync
up with Sweden’s state-of-the-art electronic air defense network, STRIL-60. The primary objective of STRIL-60 was
to integrate and modernize Sweden’s air defense capabilities. This involved
coordinating and controlling various elements within the Air Force, including
fighter jets, radar installations, and missile systems. The system was designed
to improve Sweden’s ability to detect, track, and engage airborne threats, enhancing its
overall air defense posture during the Cold War. As part of this larger scheme, the Viggen was
intended to serve primarily in a defensive capacity yet be versatile enough to tackle
a broad spectrum of missions and roles. It was intended to perform supersonic dashes at treetop level and then achieve gentle
touchdowns in even the smallest runways. The Viggen had to be able to operate
from runways just 500 meters long, a key piece in the Swedish Air Force’s chess
game of Bas 60, which later evolved into Bas 90. This strategy involved scattering aircraft
across a patchwork of wartime bases, ready to spring into action from highways if need be and still be game for takeoff on
runways that were a mere 800 meters. By 1962, the puzzle pieces were falling into
place: the jet, its heart-thumping powerplant, the ejector seat that could punch the pilot out of
trouble in a heartbeat, an arsenal ready for any mission, spy-worthy recon systems, ground support
gear, and even simulators for virtual dogfights. February 1962 marked the thumbs-up for the
Viggen’s blueprint, paving the way for a development contract signed in October. Renowned
aviation authors Bill Gunston and Peter Gilchrist hailed it as Sweden’s boldest industrial
venture yet. By the ’60s, the Viggen was swallowing a hefty 10% of Sweden’s research and
development budget; it was truly a megaproject. Come 1963, Saab had the Viggen’s aerodynamics
dialed in, marrying an aft-mounted double delta wing with a forward-thinking canard foreplane.
This was a game-changer for STOL prowess, supersonic sprints, and cruising
stability. Canard designs later became the go-to for aerial agility
in fighters like the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Rafale, but the
Viggen was pioneering these skies first. Further tweaks included adding dog-tooth notches
on the wings to stir up vortices, scrapping the need for complex flaps, and banking on a thrust
reverser for those runway-shortening stops. The power under the Viggen’s hood
was initially intended to be a British affair with the Rolls-Royce
Medway. However, fate took a twist, and Saab turned to the American Pratt &
Whitney JT8D, reborn as the Volvo RM8, cranked up to handle Mach 2 with a Swedish
afterburner and a chameleon-like nozzle. Despite the nation’s neutrality, the Viggen was
shaping to be a remarkable multi-national effort. Its service ceiling reached around 59,000
feet, showcasing its medium-altitude capabilities but staying well-below some of
the most high-flying warplanes in the world. By 1964, the first Viggen prototype was
taking shape, and on February 8, 1967, it took to the skies, piloted by Erik
Dahlström. The flight lasted a solid 43 minutes and was hailed as a
marvel by Flight International. The seven prototypes each played their part in
refining the Viggen, leading to a government nod in 1967 that the Viggen was a more cost-effective
and superior option to the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. By April 1968, the green light for
mass production was on, with an initial order of 175 units, even as Saab explored the Viggen’s
maritime and photo reconnaissance capabilities. The warplane was officially named after the
Swedish word "Viggen," which interestingly has two meanings. The first is associated with
"åskvigg," or "thunderbolt," inspired by Norse folklore. The second meaning refers to the "vigg,"
translating to a "tufted duck" in English, which humorously ties back to the aircraft's canard
configuration, as "canard" is French for duck The Viggen made its grand entrance at the Paris
Air Show in May 1969, stealing the spotlight as a formidable warbird. Stretching to a length of
53.80 feet, boasting a wingspan of 34.78 feet, and flaunting its distinctive canard design, she was the center of attention, turning
heads left and right at the show. Soon, Saab followed up, delivering
the first SK 37 trainer in 1972 and introducing the SF 37 tactical
reconnaissance variant in 1973. The quest for an all-weather interceptor
led to the development of the JA 37 Viggen, answering the call for a robust air defense.
This version brought to the table an updated airframe, a beefier RM8B engine, cutting-edge
electronics, and a revised armament layout, notably featuring a more pronounced tailfin
and an under-fuselage gun pack. The JA 37’s maiden flight in November 1977 marked its
entry into operational trials, culminating in its service introduction in 1979, standing
as Europe’s most advanced fighter at the time. From the beginning of the Viggen’s development, Saab made the trailblazing decision to design
the fighter as a single-seater, banking on advanced avionics to shoulder the workload
traditionally assigned to a human navigator. Sweden’s foreign policy and interior policies
also shaped this decision; with a fraction of the manpower some other larger nations had,
every Swede airman was an invaluable asset, and if a navigation computer could take one of them
from harm’s way, that would be the path to take. The integration of a digital central computer
and a head-up display meant the Viggen could fly solo without sacrificing precision or
capability. This computer, known as the CK 37, was the first of its kind to harness integrated
circuits, head and shoulders above the clunky analog systems of other planes around
the world. Developed by Datasaab, this airborne system could juggle navigation,
flight control, and weapon-aiming tasks with unexpected reliability, allowing the pilot to
focus on flight and critical decision-making. As the Viggen evolved, so did its avionics. From
the JA37 variant onwards, the aircraft boasted a more powerful computer—the Singer-Kearfott
SKC-2037, reborn under Saab’s wing as the CD 107. This leap in computing prowess wasn’t just
about flying faster or hitting harder; it laid the groundwork for the revolutionary avionics
that would later define the Saab JAS 39 Gripen. At the heart of the Viggen’s sensing
capabilities was the Ericsson PS 37 radar, a remarkable system highly efficient in
air-to-ground and air-to-air tracking, not to mention terrain avoidance and mapping. The Viggen was a fortress of digital and
mechanical innovation in the cockpit, from its Garrett AiResearch central
air data computer to the Tactical Instrument Landing System that made
every landing a precision affair. Flexing its muscles as a bulwark against Soviet
brinkmanship, the Viggen was kitted out to tote a devastating arsenal. This warbird could lug
up to 7,000 kilograms of ordnance across nine hardpoints, including a centerline pylon, a
duo on the fuselage, quartets on the wings, and a pair nestled behind the wing’s
landing gear for those extra surprises. These harpoint could accommodate
air-to-air missiles like the Skyflash for beyond-visual-range (BVR) engagements and
the shorter-range Sidewinder for close combat. It also featured a single 30
mm Oerlikon KCA cannon with 125 rounds for close engagement. Additionally, it was equipped with hardpoints under the
wings and fuselage to carry various weapons, Ground crews had to dial in the
munitions load through a selector panel, letting the Viggen’s brain optimize
everything from fire control to fuel burn. By ’74, the Viggen was earning stripes for its
reliability and toughness, flying in the face of skeptics who doubted its complex, cutting-edge
systems. Yet, flying low and fast on attack runs, pilots had to keep a sharp eye on another
hazard: birds. The Swedish Air Force, wise to the risks, kept tabs on avian
migrations to dodge feathery fiascos. In the twilight years of the 1980s, the
Swedish Viggen jet finally hit its stride, its cutting-edge avionics ready for
the ultimate challenge. With the Cold War's simmering tensions, but no direct
combat between the West and the Soviets, Swedish Viggen pilots set their sights on
friendly competitions to sharpen their claws. Remarkably, they set their crosshairs on
the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the Cold War's sky-high queen of stealth and speed. Leveraging
ground-based radar hints, the Viggens managed to clinch radar locks on the elusive Blackbird,
outmaneuvering its high-speed evasions and sophisticated electronic countermeasures. Despite
the odds—lacking the Blackbird's blistering speed and soaring altitude—the Viggens' advanced
data links, meticulous mission planning, and the sheer piloting prowess of
the Swedish aces turned the tide. The early encounters saw the Viggens'
missile locks foiled by the SR-71's electronic wizardry. Yet, the Swedes doubled
down, refining their counter-countermeasures to consistently achieve missile
locks on history's fastest jet. Swedish Air Force JA-37 Viggen
pilot Per-Olof Eldh shared,(QUOTE): “In total I have five hot intercepts against the
SR-71 to my credit. I was visual three times; on a couple of occasions the SR-71
was contrailing, which was very useful because you could do a visual check to
ensure you ended up in the right spot!” These high-stakes games of cat and mouse
underscored the Viggen's capability to lock onto one of the period's most elusive assets,
marking it as the only foreign aircraft able to target one of America’s top-tier reconnaissance
jets. This unique knack for engaging the SR-71 Blackbird not only showcased the Viggen's prowess
but eventually played a pivotal role in saving it. The Viggens' unique capabilities came to a
dramatic head on June 29, 1987. American airmen Duane Noll and Tom Veltri were cruising above the
Baltic at Mach 3 and 75,000 feet in their SR-71 when disaster struck—an engine blowout, sending
them spiraling toward the Soviet Union's doorstep. With clockwork precision, Swedish Viggens,
having shadowed the American spy plane, swooped in for the save. As the crippled
Blackbird plummeted to 25,000 feet, the situation was dire. Soviet jets frequently
breached Swedish airspace, and the downed Blackbird was a trophy ripe for the taking. The
SR-71 crew was acutely aware of their peril. Tom Veltri, aboard the Blackbird, captured
the gravity of their plight: (QUOTE): “We did not know who would find us first.
Seeing the Swedish plane escorting us was a pure liberation. I’m absolutely sure
that the Swedish presence meant that other interceptors were at a distance and
could not therefore come to intercept us.” This act of valor sealed the Viggen's
reputation as a formidable force in the skies, its technological marvels
standing shoulder to shoulder with the world's elite fighters. Although the Viggen
never clashed directly with Soviet forces, its legacy was forged in countless Quick Reaction
Alert scrambles throughout the '70s and '80s. In these hair-trigger showdowns, the Viggen
was a bulwark against Soviet incursions, a testament to its pilots' and crew's swift,
agile, and vigilant defense of Sweden's airspace.
