JAKTVIGGEN MAJOR BOOST FOR SWEDISH AIR DEFENCE ‘Ten years ago, the Swedish Air Defence Committee completed what was asserted at the time to be the most fundamental investigation into Sweden's air defences ever carried out. One vital conclusion was that, as stated unequivocally in its final report to the Supreme ‘Commander, a version ofthe Saab 37 Viggen optimised for the intercept rie offered the most efficacious answer to the demands of the ‘Swedish airspace defence scenario postulated for the ‘eighties. Today, a decade on, the highly effective warplane which this conclusion Iaunched on its development cycle has completed intensive service trials and ison the threshold of fully operational status. URING THIS SUMMER, When one of the divisioner, oF squadrons, of the Brivalla Flygflottilj (F 13) at Norrkoping, some 110 miles (175 km) south-east of Stockholm, is declared combat ready on the JakiViggen, Sweden's Air Force will be able to claim with justifcation that it has brought to operational status what is undoubtedly the most advanced all-weather all-altitude air defence system of European design yet to have achieved production, That Sweden, a nation of fewer than cight-and-a-half millions and possessor of an aerospace industry with barely 12,000 personnel, can field modern combat aeroplanes of indigenous design and manufacture no longer gives rise to astonishment, This Scandinavian country has now maintained its extraordinary unilateral posture in the front echelon of advanced warplane manufacturing nations for some three ‘decades. What s surprising s the fact that the Swedish aircraft industry has established a lead over other and much larger West European industries of some four years in bringing to full-scale production and service a fighter which, in capability, ccan be matched only by the very latest — and vastly more expensive — US fighters, such as the F-15 Eagle. The situation is not without its element of irony when it is considered that more than one of the immensely more populous and industrially more powerful West European nations sadly lack a defensive warplane of the calibre of the Jakt Viggen. ‘The Viggen per se is no newcomer to the European aeronautical scene. What visitor to any major international air show with a European venue in recent years does not retain a vivid impression of this Swedish warplane literally hurling itself into the air within something less than 550 yards, attended by an ear-searing cacophony; of its awe-evoking turns, as often as not within the airfield perimeter, and its constant-attitude arrival preceding a startlingly truncated landing run —no aerial frivolities these for the amusement of spectators but demonstrations for their edification of capabilities intrinsic to the concept of this uniquely configured warplane. But if the aircraft responsible for these memorable displays of aeronautical verve is no newly-presented débutante — indeed, Viggen, in its AJ 37 version, began to enter the ranks of Flygvapnet nine years ago — and the JaktViggen, now cccupying the Saab-Scania assembly line at Linkbping and ‘about to attain combat status at Norrképing, displays only modest external dissimilarities to the Viggen first delivered to F 7 at Satends in the summer of 1971, itshould not be supposed that differences between the two models are nominal. On the PAGE 7contrary, beneath the skin the JaksViggen is a very different aeroplane to Viggens of the first generation, the last of which, fan SF 37 reconnaissance model, was completed at Linképing on | February and delivered to F 21 at Luled, ‘Whereas the initial Viggen model, the AJ 37, was essentially tan attack aireraft with secondary fighter capability, the Jak: Viggen, or JA 31, is optimised forthe fighter mission while retaining some attack capability, as is indicated by the transposition ofthe funetional leters (J=Jakt, or Fighter, and A= Attack) prefixing the numerical designation. Entirely new radar and avionics have been applied to an airframe refined and reinforced to permit inerease of the load spectrum, mated With an improved and more powerful engine, andcoupled with, new weapons for the air-air role, to result in what is, indisputably one of the world’s most advanced air defence systems. Yet, withal, external similarity between first- generation attack aircraft and second-generation fighter remains surprisingly close —much more so, for example, than, between IDS and ADV versions of Tornado — and the greatly, enhanced mission capabilities have apparently been attained ‘without any sacrifice of fundamental qualities — such as ease of piloting and maintenance, and amenability to operational deployment on secondary fields and roads —for which the AJ 37 Viggen has justifiably gained acclaim A decade of development From the outset of Viggen development, the new warplane was. ‘based on the ‘standardised platform” concept; a basic design more or less readily adaptable to fulfil the four primary rdles of attack, interception, reconnaissance and training, with cach mission-optimised version having a secondary réle (eg, the attack model having a secondary fighter capability, the reconnaissance variants possessing secondary attack faculty). The specification was as comprehensive as any conceived to that time — few have attempted to meet so demanding a specification since — and could only be met by a highly sophisticated aeroplane, and by the time that design definition, was completed in 1962 and a development contract signed in, ‘October of that year, the project that was to be assigned the appellation of Viggen (Thunderbolt) was certainly sop! cated from every viewpoint, Development priority was assigned to the AJ 37 attack variant and to the tandem two-seat SK 37 conversion training ‘model — the early stage at which the latter was fed into the Linképing assembly line was to prove a vital factor in the successful service phase-in of Viggen — while evolution of the fighter variant was viewed as a somewhat longer term programme paced by development of adequately advanced intercept radar and air-air weapons necessary to provide the quantum advance in air defence capability sought by Flygvapnet. In fact, whereas changes to be introduced to suit Viggen for the training (SK 37) and reconnaissance (SH 37 and SF 37) tasks were minimal and confined almost solely to those dictated by mission requirements, those foreseen for the fighter (JA 37) were to be more fundamental and, indeed, such that, this variant was soon being viewed as a second-generation, aircraft, Preliminary design work on the JA 37 and its systems commenced in 1968, and, because of priorities and workload imposed by other Viggen versions, proceeded in relatively low key until the early “seventies, but in October 1972, the Swedish Defence Material Administration let major development contracts for the future JaksViggen and the programme accelerated. These contracts, which were intended to cover development up to 1 February 1975, were placed with Saab- Scania for continued development and production prepara- tions (SKr 230m); Volvo Flygmotor for continued development of the RM 8B engine optimised for use by the future fighter (SKr 160m); the Kearfott Division of the Singer Company for inertial navigation system development (SKr 9m); Garrett AiResearch for digital air data equipment development (SKr 2m); LM Eriesson for the development of a target acquisition system (SKr 70m), and Svenska Radio for the continued development of the (EP-12) electronic display equipment (SKr 28m), ‘The flight testing of selected systems, including a prototype radar, commenced in the following year, utilising an adapted Saab 32 Lansen as a test vehicle, and four AJ 37 prototype airframes were assigned to JA 37 R&D, each of these bein: devoted to a specific aspect of the JaktViggen programme, hile a fifth test aeroplane, to be built from the outset to what was then soen as the definitive JA 37 standard and was to be viewed in consequence as a pre-series aircraft rather than a prototype, was laid down. The first modified AJ 37 joined the JA.37 R&D programme on 4 June 1974, this aircraft being used primarily for stability and control system testing (and later being fitted with a pre-production RM 8B engine), the second, for RM 8B development, flew on 27 September 1974 (but was lost at an early stage in the programme), while the third AJ 37 to join the programme flew with JA 37 electronics The JA 37 Viggen seen here at Norrkiping where F 13 is currently working up on this new interceptor, posesses what is probably the best short field performance of any aircraftiniscategory. Externally, the JA 37 differs lle rom the earlier Ad 37. apart from the extension ofthe vertical tail surfaces which it shares withthe two-seat SK 37 version. PAGE 8 AIR INTERNATIONAL/JULY 1960 ‘Seen above with a full complement of AdMs — two Sky Flashes onthe inboard wing pylons and four Sidewinders on the outboard wing and fuselage ylons — which ith the ventral KCA cannon, endow this Viggen with considerable poteney Iv the atvair re, the JA 37 will more than double the ectvensef Swear defence, The canon btalation 0 dvgned tha a vena nk may lb cation the cetrelinpytn. cen oth above and below right on 22 November 1974 (this later being fitted with a pre production radar). The fourth AJ 37, which flew on 30 May 1975, was also assigned to electronics testing intially, but was later to be assigned to weapon system development, The next JakiViggen R&D aircraft to fly was the newly-built pre-series aircraft, which, flown on 15 December 1975, was equipped with an'RM 8B engine and pre-production avionics, and was primarily used for verifying performance tests with the electronic systems under various mission types and conditions. ‘The stable of R&D aircraft was restored to full strength at the end of September 1976, when a fifth modified AJ 37 flew as an engine trials aircraft with a production standard RM 8B to replace the engine platform aircraft which had been lost earlier. Meanwhile, on 6 September 1974, Saab-Scania received a contract for an initial batch of 30JA 37s — at which time it was envisaged that service introduction would commence in 1978, ~ against a planned total of 149 aircraft to equip eight squadrons, The remaining 119 JA 37s were to be subsequently ordered in increments of 60 and 59 (the funding for the final batch being completed in March of this year). The fist production JA 37 was to fly on 4 November 1977, with the first deliveries being effected to F 13 at Norrkbping in 1979 to initiate an intensive service trials period during which the Jak1Viggen flew more than 300 operational missions against live” targets in regular air defence exercises. The outcome of these trials was the pronouncement that the JA 37 fully m the very stringent requirements of Flygvapnes, and the Swedish, service endorsed Saab-Seania’s claim that the JakeViggen is the most efficacious all-weather all-altitude fighter of European design yet to achieve production, Advanced systems approach ‘The efficacy of the JA 37 of course owes much to its advanced the systems approach, and of all its sub-systems its radar ‘most vital element, this, after six years of fight testing, bei cited by its manufacturer, L_M Ericsson, as the first multi- mode pulse-doppler airborne radar system to attain series production. This intercept radar, designated PS-46/A, offers all-hemisphere coverage and all-altitude and look-down capability, as well as air-to-ground ranging, and during more than 1,000 hours of flight testing has consistently yielded detection ranges against typical “live” targets in excess of 30 miles (50 km) in look-down modes. Representing a noteworthy pioneering achievement on the part of LM Ericsson, and a key factor in the JA 37's performance, the multi-mode PS-46/A can be configured to provide target search, target acquisition (either automatic via, the head-up display or semi-automatic via the head-down display), target track (track-while-scan or continuous tracking), target illumination and air-to-ground ranging. Unaffected by variations of weather or altitude, the PS-46/A is, Virtually impervious to ground clutter and its design stresses resistance to electronic countermeasures. An extremely high level of reliability is claimed, this being achieved by a failure PAGE 9gens including 110 AJ37sand 37 of F13'sreconnaisuance F7,and (below right) aJ437 Viagens hasbeen ordered for Flygvapnet of which 149 willbe JA 37s. thes following 180 first-generation V mprising& mtx of SK 37s, SE 37s and SH 37s. The photographs on these pare illustrate above) an Squadron witha cameranose and (port aselage pylon ight cameraand ihenination pod: (below and op right) AZ e PUMP 1S (also Mustrated at head of page 7). PAGE 11rate corresponding oan MTBF of 100 hours and redundant modes of operation, and ease of maintenance is ensured by extensive builtin tes facilitiesand functional partitioning into rapidly replaceable units which ae readily interchangeable on the fight line, Unit replacement calls forthe use of only two sizes of socket wrench, and specified clapsed time for replacement of say the data processor, i cight minutes, while the transmitter may be repiaced within 12 minutes. The autonomous operation capability of the system is noteworthy asit provides ygvapner with the ability to fill any gape in the ground radar coverage of Sweden's extensive borders that may arise during hostilities. ‘A less dramatic but nevertheless important contribution to the efficacy of the JakiViggen isis entirely new cockpit presentation system which, offering significant improvements ‘over that ofthe AI 37, itself widely praised, has been evolved by Saab-Scania in concert with Svenska Radio, The system is built up around three main electronic displays providing fight data and weapon aiming and delivery information: the head- up display (HUD) developed by Smiths Industries in collaboration with Svenska Radio for low-level fight and close-in air combat; the head-down display (HDD) for all: weather interception, and the tactical display for en rowe navigation or combet situation assessment and embodying & Synthetic video map. All three displays can be read even in bright ambient light. ‘The HUD restricts symbology to essential information in order to offer good look-through capability and incudes an ing mode for close-in air combat, a "quick access JA 37 Viggen specification Power Plat: One Volo Fiygmnotor RM AB turbofan with | fatima ratings of 1300197350 kp) uncchestd and 28710 ib (12750 Ep) mits fll reheat Fae! dstibuted between saddle {unk over engine, one tank in eah side ofthe fuselage, one tank tof ibe soipitend ove tank ia ect wing Postormance: Max spcd (with tno Rb 24 Sidewinder and two Rib7i Sky Fash AAR) 13951365 mph (20202 195 kmh) or Mach=/921, above 86000 10 (1 00 sn) 838 mph (050 Emi or Mach=1", a h000 £203 m:patolendurancs, 3- 20h tae radi), 620 mi (F000) pet S210'n Goo00 my trom brakes of 13 min; approach sped (Gopron mp E30 kmh take nan, Pas GO my tepding ol 5473 (500). ‘Weight: Normal loaded (ovo Rb24s and rwo Rb) (aprox) | SStoie Ut000 ig) Dimension: Span $4194 in (10,60m: length excluding pre), SO Si tm Gm), Gnclading prabel§3 9m ead mh Highs in 0m) an Oe), 1 in (00 mewn area (including foreplanes), 561-88 sq ft (52,20 m? Hestemet Ons atime Graton LOM revelers earche ‘th 180 rounds, so Rb 71 Sky Hash radsehoming NANG and {wo or four Rb Sidewinder nrard-homing AMS A rodr pack 4 Avionics vauipm 8 Forward possuo bulkhoad 8 Avionics electronics bay 18 Nosewheol og assomby = = 19 Nosewheel erscoon sat 40 Weopons si lage 11. Fisod frame 20 Nosewhee! boy 12 Plots conto! ealume 25 Noawwhet ag pivot 13 Ruder pedal assembly 22 Convo inks baters 18 Canal tage B Faets set ome stivor 18 Fuselage sin pone ejection teat 18 Nowenter! tay door 25 Strboar make ip 1) Tatas orn 38 Hinged canopy recta 25 Headest PAGE 12 AIRINTERNATIONAL/JULY 1980 switeh” on the throttle lever clearing the HUD for optical aiming and bringing all other systems (ie, Jock-on, autopilot, and weapon selectionand The HDD affords the pilot all the information that he needs during radar search Ge, heading, speed, altitude, attitude and. terrain warning) without necessitating consultation of any other instrument, the data presentation being a mix of analogue and digital information, both aireraft-generated after target lock-on and ground control-derived. The tactical formation, and the pilot ‘may insert manually, via the central computer, reference points and other information, al information for intercept, navigation and landing being superimposed on the map. Other features of the JA 37's avionics include Singer- Kearfott’s SKC-2037 digital central computer, licence- manufactured by Saab-Scania as the CD 107, and offering a ‘capacity five times that ofthe computer installed in the AJ 37, The computer's display system reduces the pilot's workload by limiting the information presented to that specifically required for a particular phase of the mission. Singer-Kearfott is also responsible for the JA 37's inertial navigation system, which, ‘well integrated and demanding no pilot participation for normal operation, uses rapid-alignment dry gyros and offers, 28 Ejection seat guide ‘ais/achaniam 23 Cockpit canopy hingos 50 Main uselege ful ork boy 83. Avtones bay 31 Punaage frame structure 54 Rami toring 42 Intake separator 58 Forward wing fap hinge 35 Forward wing oot a arin 234 Pont ince 196 Honeyeom tap structure 35 Inca duct rames 57 Hyeraule pump 38 Low vsion light pools 58 Low-vsion 37 Forward wong sewers 59 Engina mae ace, 38 Forward wing main spr 80 Fossage upper main 50 Coclers/blowers 51 Fuselage sal fue tanks 52 Forward wing a 133 Fusclage/formard wing main Iongoren tachment point 61 Fabricated fuselage ames 40 Engine cil coolers 82 Volvo Fiyamotor RM BB. 4 Arconaitoring boy ‘erbotan 2 Redo cquipmant 53 Skin por 45 Storbo 8 Doras suiiory itako/outlet, 33 Flap hing pone! 45 Honeyear 485 Donal ieniemtion! Fecogniten baht 47 Cooling equipment bay 438 Cabin aulerscoop 48 Cooling pipes navigational accuracy of 1 NM (1,85 km) per hour. The Garrett-AiResearch LD-S digital air data computer is derived from the system employed by the F-14 Tomeat and is built up around solid-state quartz pressure transducers, and a particularly important contribution to piloting ease — on which emphasis has been placed throughout the development, of the JakrViggen cockpit — is made by the Honeywell Saab- Scania SA 07 digital automatic flight control system which has the advantage of being controlled with the stick and having its indicators and operating controls high on the panel, close to the pilot’ line of sight for head-up flying. Claimed to be the world’s first production digital ight control system, the SA 07 offers high combined load factor and roll rate command, capability throughout the flight envelope, and besides the 65 Forgod/machined mein 81 Ait fslag wing ame. ke actating ram 182 Fuoclage pon avbtaka member 83 Engine pipe 66 Starboard wing skinning 84 Afterburner assembly 9 Starboard wing foe boy 85 Thrus-revror aportie 158 Staroara ECM bulet, B58 Reverse is 63 Loading edge exarsion 87 Ud actuating rom 170 Staboardouter leven hinge BB A fuselage frame 7) Starosrd eleven 89 Linkage, 72 Proviibe 86 Tella tachment 74 Toitin seucture 82 Ru z 83 Taifinsknning 54 Tipexenaion 38 Tain forward por 36 Fin sparitosiage pok-up 7 eu x 73 Wing oot ating {80 Wing moin spar fuslage 95 VHF antenna 58 Honeycomb rudder structure 87 Rader 8 udder operating am aking normal functional modes it offers a special aiming mode for interception. ‘The air defence mission and its more stringent requirements than those demanded by the attack mission — especially in terms of raising the surge margin throughout the fight envelope — dictated the development by Volvo Flygmotor of ‘version of the RM 8 turbofan forthe JA 37 offeringincreased funetional flexibility. This, the RM 8B, differs from the RM 8A ofthe AJ37 primarily ncombininga three-stage fan witha three-stage low-pressure compressor rather than a two-stage fan and a four-stage low-pressure unit. Another significant feature ofthe RM 8B engine isthe increased thrust, which, of the order of 10 per cent, is achieved at a somewhat his continued on page SI levon (inner) siovon (ower) 108 Honeye 108 Inner tecture 110 Gutboardieading-edge 111 Bon outer weapons pylon 112 Pon EM ba 116 Po wing inogtl tet bay 317 Wing nba 18 Weg Sn pane 420 Underamiage suppor rib n 122 Weel well dogonal member 126 Pon wee! well 126 In ns 138 Mairwrnoa ole og 138 Lag door (outer) 138 tegoor out 198 Tail 142 [RIM'S Sidewinder ar 108 Inner steven ectutor ange Semicie PAGE 13‘An AJ 37 Viggen of F 15 (Halsinge Flygfiottilj) based at Séderhamn in the South Norrland Military Command. F-15 comprises two divisioner (squad rons), one of which serves as the Viggen conversion unit and is equipped with ‘the tandem two-seat SK 31 its firstJA 378 during 1979 and With this second-generation is the first flottilj of Flygvapnet to ‘version of Viggen ‘The head-on view (left) both depict the JA 37 camouflage pattern surfaces is standard on and the upper planview (below gem The complex four-colour (Loft) The ombiem of F 13 which appears ‘on the vertical fin of the JA 37 Viggen fighter now equipping this unit. F 13 was Previously equipped with the J 35 Draken. PAGE 46 AIR INTERNATIONAL/JULY 1980|AKTVIGGEN from page 13 iurbine inlet temperature, this having necessitated redesign of the gas generator combustion system and the high-pressure turbine unit. In each of the nine flame tubes fuel is injected through a system of four duplex spray nozzles instead of a single nozae as employed by the RM 8A. The high-pressure turbine stator of the RM. 8B contains impingement-cooled first-stage vanes with slotted trailing edges for cooling ar exit, andthe high-pressure turbine rotor has a redesigned blade and dise configuration. Total engine weight has risen from the 4,630 Ib (2 100 kg) of the RM 8A to 5,181 Ib (2350 kg) and the net results have been increases in the maximum unreheated Fating from 14,750 Ib (6690 kg) to 16,200 Ib (7350 kg) and in the maximum reheat rating from 26,000 1b (11790 kg) to 28,110 Ih (12750 kg) with only nominal increases in fuel consumption. The RM 8Bemits appreciably less smoke than the RM 8A owing to its improved combustion system and the target TBO of 600 hours is expected to be achieved in the relatively near future. ‘The increased thrust offered by the RM 8B more than copes the higher gross weight ofthe Jak Viggen — the take-off ‘weight is roughly one tonne more than that of the AJ 37 — resulting from the heavier radar and engine, and some structural reinforcement, particularly in the wing, the strueture of which has been stiffened in order to achieve the maximum load factor at high indicated airspeeds and to increase the load spectrum. The decision to incorporate fixed 30-mm cannon is also partly responsible for the increased weight of the JaktViggen. This weapon, another of the significant features ofthe JA 37, is the Oerlikon KCA cannon, claimed to be the first such weapon to possess an effective range comparable with that ofthe first-generation AMS. The \weight ofits projectile at 127 02s (360 gr) is 50 per cent greater than that ofthe Aden cannon of similar calibre and imparts an THE VIGGEN FAMILY ‘AsSTVGGEN impact energy cight times greater. A gas-operated four- chamber revolver-type weapon, the KCA cannon, which has, only a four-degree limiting slip-ofT angle at $50 yards (500 m), weighs 275'5 Ib (125 kg), and is housed in a permanent underbelly pack, which, offset to port, permits retention of a similar arrangement of three underfuselage stores attachment points to that of the AJ 37. The KCA has a muzzle velocity of, 3,445 f1/sec (1050 m/sec) and a rate of fire of 1,350 rpm. ‘The primary armament of the JakiViggenis the “boost-and- coast” BAe Sky Flash (Rb 71), deliveries of which to Fiygvapnet are now getting under way. A BAe contract with the Swedish Defence Material Administration provided for technical assistance to Saab-Scania and L_M Ericsson in interfacing the Sky Flash with the JA 37 airframe and radar, and firing trials with the fourth R&D AJ 37 assigned to the Jaki Viggen development programme commenced in 1978, the three-year integration programme being concluded early this, year with a series of trials in which 100 per cent success was, ‘laimed. The JA 37 will normally carry a pair of Sky Flash missiles on the inboard wing attachment points and a pair of ‘AIM.9L Sidewinder IR-homers on the outboard attachment points. An additional pair of Sidewinders can be carried by the outboard underfuselage stores attachment points. ‘The keynote of the JaktViggen is operational flexibility. Its short take-off and landing qualities permit dispersal away from the main airfields and operation from secondary fields and roads, endowingit with a high survival probability on the ground. It may be refuelled with itsengine running to maint a high alert status — from which the JA 37 can be airborne in, less than one minute — or to reduce turnaround time; itcan be refuelled,re-armed and serviced by a team of seven men within, 10 minutes and can mount up to 11 sorties ina given 24-hour petiod, The emphasis placed on cockpit design has resulted in a relatively low workload being imposed on the pilot and the Jak: Viggen is basically easy to fy, offering good low-speed hhandling characteristics and wide margins to abnormal fight conditions. Small wonder that Fiygvapnet anticipates afford- ing a major boost in Swedish air defence capability when this advanced warplane achieves full service status. Sweden's commitment to the JaktViggen is immense and this second-generation aeroplane will, according to present planning, take up the larger part of Saab-Seania’s airframe production capacity until about the middie of the decade. Ino faras Flygvapnet is concerned, this very advanced fighter will carry most of the burden of defending Swedish airspace until at least the late “nineties and possibly into the next century. How “Swedish its successor will be is, at the present time, very much a moot point and. the Jakt- Viggen may be the last combat, aircraft of exclusively Swedish design or, for that matter, the last to possess such high Swedish content, But if the future of Sweden's unilateral approach to warplane. de- velopment has now become questionable, there can be little question of the fact that Swedish air defence will short- ly begin to rest on the wings of an allweather _all-altitude fighter, which, but for one or two of the very latest US types, is nonpareil and likely to remain so for at least the first half of this decade. © PAGE 51