Saab JA 37 Viggen
Summary
| Category | Combat aircraft |
| Origin country | 🇸🇪 Sweden |
| First flight | 8 February 1967 |
| Year of introduction | 1971 |
| Number produced | 329 units |
| Average unit price | $5 million |
Description
Short takeoff and landing delta-winged aircraft, the JA 37 Viggen (meaning "Lightning" in Swedish) was designed to fulfill multiple roles in various missions: air superiority, ground attack, maritime surveillance, and training.
Its large canard wings, combined with a thrust reverser and rugged landing gear, enable it to operate from very short and improvised runways, such as road sections as short as 500 meters scattered throughout the country. Furthermore, its maintenance is very easy and quick: it is designed to be rearmed and refueled in less than 10 minutes, by a team of 7 men, including 6 conscripts.
Several variants of this effective aircraft have been developed throughout its career, with the latest ones featuring a communication and weapon system similar to that of the JAS 39 Gripen. In total, 329 Viggens were built, with the newest ones expected to remain in service until at least 2010.
Technical specifications
| Version: JA 37 | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 1 pilot |
| Maximum speed | 2231 km/h (1386 mph) |
| Wing area | 46 m² (495.1 sqft) |
| Wingspan | 10.6 m (34.8 ft) |
| Height | 5.9 m (19.4 ft) |
| Length | 16.4 m (53.8 ft) |
| Service ceiling | 18000 m (59055 ft) |
| Empty weight | 9500 kg (20944 lbs) |
| Max. takeoff weight | 20000 kg (44092 lbs) |
| Climb rate | 203.0 m/s (666.0 ft/s) |
| Powerplant | 1 × turbojet Volvo RM8B delivering 7348 kgp, up to 12750 kgp with afterburner |
| Ejection seat | SAAB FPL |
Current operating countries
No country is operating the JA 37 Viggen in 2024.
All operators
Armament
Missiles payload:
Photo of JA 37 Viggen
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