The country of Sweden is sandwiched between NATO and the Warsaw Pact and has maintained its neutral status through a policy of armed neutrality and through a highly developed indigenous armament industry that has created defense systems tailored to meet the requirements of operation in Swedish territory. The aerial arm of the Swedish armed forces, the Flygvapnet, is quite different from any other air force as a consequence of this. This short article will help the Air Superiority gamer create realistic scenarios using their unusual forces. To begin with, it is of interest to note that all of the Swedish combat aircraft are built by a company familiar to North Americans as an automotive maker - SAAB. Loosely translated, this stands for "Swedish Aircraft Corporation". SAAB is first and foremost an aircraft company, and the automobiles were, at first, an afterthought to see if the company could expand to other industries! Needless to say, SAAB's aircraft are like their automobiles, well-constructed, high quality, and also quite unlike any others in the world. The Flygvapnet's major grouping is the FlygFlottilj which is equivalent to a small wing in USAF terms. Each FlygFIottiIj is comprised of two or three Divisions of about 15 aircraft apiece, corresponding to a USAF squadron. Viggen The major aircraft that makes up today's Flygvapnet is the SAAB-37 Viggen. There are four variants of this aircraft that serve in a primary combat role. The most numerous is the JA37 variant, sometimes referred to as the "Jaktviggen" because of its primary duty as an air superiority fighter. This version operates from nine squadrons spread out over the length of the country. The JA-37 is now being painted A/S gray, the others remaining camouflaged. The primary air-to-air armament is the AIM-9L Sidewinder and the British Sky Flash. They are commonly seen with a large centerline fuel tank and will also be seen occasionally with ECM pods on stations 3 and 5. The next most common Viggen is the AJ-37 fighter-bomber variant. This model is painted in a most unusual splinter camouflage scheme that is highly effective. The AJ37 operates in five squadrons in the central and southern portions of Sweden. The can function in an interceptor role, but their primary task is to provide air-to-ground offense. The typical air-to-ground load will be discussed later in the article. The final two Viggen variants are the recon/surveillance versions. The SF-37 photo-recon aircraft is as listed on the Air Strike card and the SH-37 is a maritime recon/anti-ship version which can be described as follows: 1 . Use the AJ-37 data card as the base 2. Change the radar data to read Type=PS-37/A. This adds a secondary air-to-ground mode with Search=50, Track-- 40 and Lock-On=6* 3. Add note: May carry ASM on station 4 These recon aircraft are deployed in mixed squadrons of seven or eight aircraft of each type. There are three such squadrons currently in service. When deployed, they are sent out in SF/SH pairs to provide the maximum number of intelligence gathering methods possible. The cameras carried in the nose of the SF are so good that it is almost possible to read a license plate off a photo taken from 2 km away on a highspeed run! The SH-37's main claim to fame is its role in the recent "Whiskey on the rocks" incident in which a Soviet sub grounded itself in Swedish territorial waters. The Flygvapnet moved large numbers of these aircraft to bases near the sub, which deterred a large, nearby Soviet surface action group from attempting a rescue in light of the anti- shipping threat posed by the SH-37. The SF and SH variants are Sidewinder capable, and their pilots are well trained in air combat tactics if the need should arise. Draken The venerable SAAB J-35F Draken interceptor still serves with three Flygvapnet squadrons. These planes are camouflaged and they're undergoing an upgrade to the J-35J, the details of which the Swedes are rather close-mounted about. It is conservatively assumed that the upgrade includes an RWRB and, based on photographic evidence, a HUD interface. The Draken's primary missile armament is the AIM-26 Falcon RHM, and the AIM-9L Sidewinder. The initial design concepts for this aircraft date back over 40 years, and it will serve until 1995. Lansen The SAAB-32 Lansen still serves the Flygvapnet as an ECM jammer. An estimated dozen or so J-32E countermeasures aircraft are still active. Use the J-32B card with the following changes: delete the guns and stations 5-16, add an RWR-B and allow only EP and FT stores on stations 1-4. The Lansen will carry European chaff pods, European DDS#I and #2, European DJM#2, and European AJM#I in varying combinations to suit the mission. Gripen The final aircraft is the future multi-purpose jet of the Swedish air force, the JAS-39 Gripen. It will be constructed as a dual-purpose, rather than specialized, aircraft. It is scheduled to enter service in 1992, but an accident with one of the prototypes set the program back for an unknown period. The Swedish parliament has decided to continue the program, which will result in the eventual purchase of 300 units to replace the AJ-37, J-35, SF-37, and SH-37, in that order. It is unknown what paint scheme this dual-mode aircraft will carry. The prototype is painted A/S gray, and it is likely that the planes will be painted with their most likely missions in mind and depending upon their bases. The missile stores are various western types built under license in Sweden. The primary heat-seeker is the AIM-9L, known to the Swedes as the RB24, and the secondary type is the AIM-413 Falcon, known as the RB28. The primary RHM is the Sky Flash, or R1371, usuable only by the JA-37 and JAS- 39, and the AIM-26 Falcon, usable by the J-35 and JA37. The Swedes use several types of advanced weapons, such as the Maverick and SAAB RB05 guided rocket, but it appears that the favored air-to-ground weapon for the Flygvapnet is the unguided rocket, particularly the Bofors 135mm rocket fired from six-rocket pods, treated as a small pod with heavy rockets. Air Bases The Flygvapnet also uses a basing concept known as the BAS 90 system. The Swedes are concerned about preemptive strikes knocking out their bases and runways, and have 50 dispersed bases usable in wartime in addition to their 40 peacetime bases. The dispersed bases have a main 3-hex runway, with two to four 2-hex runways spoked out about 4 to 6 hexes away, and are very well disguised. Even with coordinates, Swedish pilots have trouble finding them when they make deployments. The satellite runways are even worse asthey are just stretches of roadway! Travellers to Sweden may even see some of the service equipment alongside the road, covered by false treetops. The Swedish pilots are well trained in both air-to-air and air-to-ground tactics, regardless of the main mission of their aircraft. Use the Europe table to generate their abilities, with no rolls for Combat Hero. There are many scenario possibilities for the use of Swedish aircraft. Border incursions, accidental or not, could be made by Soviet (Su-27 and NfiG-29), Norwegian (F-16A export), Danish (F-35 and F-16A export), and even US Navy (F-14 and F/A-18) aircraft. The Gripen, in particular, is a super candidate for a "dual-role" campaign. The Flygvapnet's Commander-in-Chief has been quoted, "Our Air Force has a Swedish image, which guarantees respect from within and in the outside world. We may look with confidence towards the future." The Air Superiority fan has a special opportunity to test this statement and see whether this confidence is well-founded. Enjoy! Back to Table of Contents -- Air Power # 9 Back to Air Power List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1990 by J.D. Webster This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com