The Ultra-Fast Interceptor Plane No One Dared to Defy

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…

[@Indiskret1]

Imagine a country that at the time had a population of 8 million only, managed to design and manufacture such an aircraft in large quantities. We were really on top of our game back then!

[@robertb.3651]

The lack of "diversity" made it possible....

[@protonjinx]

@@robertb.3651 dont be an idiot. sweden had plenty of immigrants after ww2, poles, greeks, ...

[@calleskurken9025]

@@protonjinx yes! Diversity is our friend. Lets go... EVERYONE has something to say and contribute.... I love it (its called free speech, free press and DEMOCRACY)

[@RIEKSONE]

​@@protonjinxso how much of the viggen design team were immigrants?

[@frankandersen3195]

Beautiful aircraft, innovative and really an achievement for such a small country. Not an interceptor like F106 and the Lightning nor a high altitude aircraft like the U2/ SR71. but a true multirole aircraft, just as smaller nations need it. As a Dane I am still a little disappointed that Denmark did not choose this aircraft back in the 70'ies. We had the Draken and were very satisfied with it. Well, but the F-16 was allso a good aicraft and cheaper. Anyhow: Now the Gripen is taking over worldwide, Heja Sverige 🙂

[@dickslocum]

As one of the F-16 Maintenance Instructors who had the privilege of teaching NATO Maintainers the F-16 in the 70s and 80s I am thankful they choose the Falcon. The Danes taught me as much as I taught them while they were in F-16 Radar, Radio, and Electronic Counter Measures Classes.

[@mattiasdahlstrom2024]

It was tough when Norway and Denmark picked the F-35, and put out very negative, but easily proven false, reporting about the Gripen, especially about cost and availability. We will soon see more and more complaints from the F-35 user countries.

[@andersmalmgren6528]

@@mattiasdahlstrom2024 Its even more strange that Finland choose the F35. They say they can make fit their dispersed program, but I'm highly sceptical. Its too advanced to be maintained in make shift hangars, a plane true to its name, hangar queen.

[@mattiasdahlstrom2024]

@@andersmalmgren6528 The current US GOA reports show the F-35 has an availability of 35-50%, so yes, a hangar queen, and very specialized hangars at that. What the Ukraine war has shown without doubt is that military equipment needs to be good enough, but also robust and available in numbers and in time, dispersed and camouflaged. Western air defense is not that good and Russian and even Iranian missiles can maneuver around the fire solution of air defense. An Air Force with 100 Gripen will survive longer than one with 70 F-35. Sadly military procurement - at least in the west - is a political rather than military science. Also I think Santa Marin, like our Pål Jönson is a US arranged influence agent. She did her job of getting Finland into NATO, looked cute and girlstrrrrng and is now on to a cushy job.

[@andersmalmgren6528]

@@mattiasdahlstrom2024 they are not agents of the US, the US just sweetness the deal with some trade deals on top of the jet-program, hard for a small country like Sweden to top that. But its strange that Finland falls for it, they need actual planes that work. Especially in this day and age with putler doing his thing.

[@CraigLandsberg-lk1ep]

Can't believe how the Swedish can do so much by themselves! Even the US needs partners these days, they should be commended 😅 I know cause I bought the world's fastest single cylinder bike ever produced, the Swedish Husaberg 650 Supermotard😅 crazy fast beast to ride, like riding a wheel standing rocket! I LOVE Sweden! We studied it in grade one in 1980 and this is why my favourite colours are blue and yellow...the Swedish flag😅😅 I love them

[@kentnilsson465]

One thing that could be highlighted even more was the datalink angle that the Swedish airforce started using in its fighter aircraft in the 60s, which to my knowledge other nations didnt, at least not to the same extent. This was a hidden capability that would have enhanced the impact of the Swedish airforce significantly. I believe Datalink has only been used by other nations fighter aircraft much later, like in the 2000s. I do know that when the JAS39 Gripen first went to Red Flag in the early 2000s they used it to great effect against other nations aircraft, or it might be that they used it in a way other nations didnt. The other thing worth mentioning is that they did have some structural problems in the early 70s that caused some crashes and at one time all Viggens were stopped from flying before they figured out what the problem was, which was an overloading of one of the wing beams inside the wing causing it to fracture. Nice video all in all

[@petter5721]

American pilots visited an airforce base in Swede in late 70s and they were blown away by the data link in Viggen. They had never seen anything similar before.

[@jel5267]

You were very welcome to use a couple of clips from my "F 13 SF 37 Spaningsfilm" (4.55-5.05) Glad you liked it!/JEL

[@parbjorkman3098]

Why not ask for 50% of their profit from this video?

[@michaelchristensen5421]

I have always liked the Viggen, especially when in splinter camouflage

[@bjornmagnusson6909]

A band of Viggens thundering through the sky the was the sound of pride and freedom during my childhood. The name Viggen means "lightning bolt" in elderly Swedish language.

[@karmpuscookie]

Nope. Thunderbolt.

[@Kulumuli]

I was in the Norwegian Air Force in 1995 when we were visited by a swedish Viggen. It had green/brown camouflage at the top. Didn't Sweden also have all grey Viggens? A beautiful aircraft and bigger than I imagined from pictures. And the noise was a more deeper growling than our F-16s. Funny how used I got to F-16 sound that I can still distinguish them from other planes today.

[@Mange070]

@@Kulumuli Most of the grey-colored Viggen was the JA-variants but there was some SF-variants that i have seen was in grey color too.

[@DEATH-THE-GOAT]

... or _"Tufted Duck"_ 😉

[@artisan002]

I've always wanted to see one of these in person. It, the Drakken before it, and the Grippen that followed are all personal favorites. Each one an exemplary aircraft, and I'm honestly disappointed at how few countries have bought any of them.

[@martinsiegbahn3720]

Growing up just a few km from F16 airforce base the sound of Viggens warming up their engines at night was always present, it made me sleep well. When I retire I will become a Viggen pilot that's for sure.

[@edwardpate6128]

I've always thought this was a very cool aircraft just like the Draken which preceded it.

[@gspaulsson]

In case you didn't know, Saab is mainly known for its cars, but the name is an acronym for Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget, or "the Swedish Aircraft Corporation"

[@krisdacripe9833]

F106 had internal Bombay like F35 and was the only plane to land it self without a pilot. These Swedish fighters are hard to beat !

[@TheSanien]

It was a beautiful aircraft! It is amazing how a small country can make such high quality weapons systems mostly alone 😮

[@user-jp6md2ow3p]

side note, the KCA 30mm cannon, the most powerful aircraft cannon till the advent of the GAU-8A. they both use the same sized ammo, 30 x 173.

[@Homoprimatesapiens]

Very interesting and informative. Thanks so much. I like your metaphoric explanations which put a smile on my dile.

[@kimeldiin1930]

The JT-8 based RM-8 was meant as a shortcut however adding the afterburner introduced substantial torque loads on the main shaft when lit so all the advantages of using the Pratt & Whitney went out the window as very little of the original engine could b utilized in the end...BUT it was/is the largest after burning engine in the west...it sports a MAGNIFICENT base rumble !! . Many a time......as it appeared many a time at motorcycle races as our Peter Lindén was a Viggen pilot. His friends often came in over the paddock VERY low and standing this magnificent piece on it's tail filling the paddock with airborne tents , leathers, blankets and other assorted paddock paraphernalia ..... and glorious jet exhaust !!

[@petter5721]

Viggen AJS had equivalent to 85.000 horsepowers, brutal sound 👍🏻

[@JoFe-bv2oy]

The JA even more.

[@craigs71]

I remember watching these at airshows doing the high AOA passes, my young mind (at the time) was blown seeing this.

[@mike.47]

Ultra fast interceptor, I give you the EE Lightning. First flown in 1954, over Mach 2 and capable of intercepting the Lockheed U-2. Now that’s an ultra fast interceptor.

[@catfood_03_4stray]

The JA-37 was far more agile especially at high altitudes with a much more powerful radar equipped with the Swedish version of the Skyflash missiles the Rb-71 made under licence in Sweden.

[@kronop8884]

Considering that the U-2 was a subsonic recon aircraft ... well....

[@Jack-bs6zb]

@kronop8884 … you missed the point. The U2 flew at great height. The EE Lightning could break mach 1 in near vertical climb and capable of reaching U2 and Russion bombers in quick time, betond rhe capability of the Viggen.

[@voornaam3191]

Can any of you buy and pay only ONE of these planes? No? Why talk about it, then? Buy one! Fly one! Then we're talking. All those geeks...

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

​@@voornaam3191 They used to do hired private flights out of S Africa many years ago one was the Buccaneer and the other was a lightning. Draken and Viggen are both great aircraft and used to practice chasing the Blackbird s.. on one occasion they extended a protective wing to the Blackbird when with one engine out the Russians launched intercepters . A back woods multi role combat aircraft ...with incredible performance... and looks to match.

[@guymarcgagne7630]

Very good synopsis of a ground breaking aircraft

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

"ground breaking aircraft" - better not!

[@davidwright8432]

Please! Ground is the last thing aircraft should break! (Or would.)

[@CraigLandsberg-lk1ep]

I really loved this video 😅 I am so appreciative of the Author for showing this😮

[@johnearle1]

The Viggen managed to get a missile lock on a Blackbird. It also flew cover for a Blackbird that was in trouble. The last batch of Viggens still had lots of hours left in them, but the end of the Cold War left them without a job, and its replacement already in service with lower maintenance costs. A potent aircraft for its time. Not as beautiful as the Draken, but easier to fly, with a lot more mission capability. The Swedes build superb aircraft.

[@joso5554]

Not quite ultrafast but extremely capable 70’s and 80’s tactical fighter bomber. Sweden is extremely good at making fighters. This remains true with the Gripen family, which has been enjoying some notable export successes and keeps evolving to still remain an excellent warbird.

[@qq-uh2mx]

I wish the SAAB JA-37 vig had 2 × Pratt & Whitney F100-229 instead of the x-civil engine it had then. Performance measured, the ja-37 viggen with 2 × Pratt & Whitney F100-229 would get much better stat and landing as well as exsrem short runway range, then from mach 2 to mach 3 beyond. Tragically it didn't turn out that way.

[@pierricus1399]

I’m pretty sure the Viggen was needed as a ship killer as it’s first role, which was then expanded through multiple versions (AJ 37 & JA 37, the latter being the interceptor)

[@uncleheavy6819]

The Viggen was a beast of an aircraft but needed a lot of maintenance to keep it flying. From when they were playing games with the SR71, I wonder what Swedish is for "gotcha,"

[@petter5721]

Gotcha in Swedish would be “Fångad” or Låst (locked) 😀

[@tomas7158]

I agree with Fångad but i remember we said you are Taken when we played hide and seek.

[@johnnyallred3753]

Nice video on a very exciting jet I would love to fly the veggen!.

[@EDCandLace]

Damn ol feathery fiascos lol

[@matthewsecord7641]

Well as a Canadian I'm just embarrassed.

[@sabercruiser.7053]

Much Greatful thank you for ure great work 👍👍 very very inspiring 🙏🤲📈🆙✨👑 keep up the great work and the great contents

[@CraigLandsberg-lk1ep]

I LOVE this plane and video¡!😅😅😅

[@haistapaska20]

Viggen = lightning !! Or “thunderbolt”

[@shirleydrury5565]

It was one hell of jet!! But my love is still the E Lightning😊😊thanks for upload😊👍👍

[@patrickcreighton5109]

Hopeing that we have the Swedish Peoples back,not that they will need our help .

[@einundsiebenziger5488]

Hoping* that we have the Swedish people's* back,* not they will need our help.*

[@jprules2578]

I'm betting there's one or more soviet planes sitting at the bottom of the Baltic that decided to have mock dogfights with a Viggen and couldn't keep turning with them and ended up stalling or snap rolling.

[@LeonAust]

What's the difference between terrain avoidance and terrain following in a fighters radar?

[@andrewbrown6786]

One warns you about fast closing terrain, thus allowing pilot to avoid a crash, the other use a map of the terrain to automatically fly the plane at very low heights and at speeds that many pilots could not manage manually…

[@gort8203]

All radar is terrain avoidance, but far less precise than TFR. You see major terrain features on the scope and avoid them. This requires skill by the crew. Terrain following radar had multiple antennae that provided more precise information on the height of the aircraft vs the terrain below and ahead of the aircraft. A sophisticated autopilot maneuvered the aircraft to maintain the flightpath at a more precise preset height above the terrain without human input. TFR let the airplane fly closer to the unseen ground at higher speed.

[@zooblestyx]

The Viggen's a big'un.

[@prashanthb6521]

India had decided to buy this aircraft. But later IAF ended up with Jaguars because of bribery or arm twisting on the Indian govt side. Sweden really is an understated power house in engineering and design.

[@MrSler]

Neutrality they say and still they hurry to help the Americans against the Soviets....funny.

[@mdmnmd1]

Jeez! Who wrote this?

[@hoghogwild]

0:32 Turbo engine?

[@dumptrump3788]

5:09....Hmmmm, quite clearly shows a prototype British BAC TSR2. Relevance to a Swedish bird?

[@jaws848]

Agreed...thats the problem with videos like this that are made by so called experts.....also the pronucoation of viggen is wrong a number of times....aswell as viggen the speaker also calls it the "veegan" several times

[@somename8831]

They should have just modernized the Viggen with a massive engine instead of making a Gripen.

[@birrextio6544]

It was not possible to be in the top with that heavy design, it lost too much speed in sharp turns and used a lot of fuel.

[@user-en9zo2ol4z]

59,000 feet is hardly medium altitude.

[@DEATH-THE-GOAT]

It's a sexy beast

[@andrewchirgwin4136]

I agree, the Viggen is an incredible aircraft but for a fighter that was first flown in the year of my birth the Lightning was magnificent. Exceeding mach 1 in a vertical climb it was a fantastic interceptor which has flown higher than a U2 and faster than Concorde, both later designs.

[@manuwilson4695]

"By 1962 the jet..."...proceeds to show footage of the building of the BRITISH TSR 2! 🙄

[@jerrysolomon7623]

Never once mentioned the Convair F106 delta dart that entered service in 1959.

[@blairhammond5456]

Also never mentioned the A10 Thunderbolt!

[@catfood_03_4stray]

The JA-37 Viggen was far more agile especially at high altitudes and was equipped with more powerful radar, that can't be contained in the narrow cone of the F-106.

[@gort8203]

Why mention a fighter that entered service nearly 2 decades before the fighter version of the Viggen if you are trying to imply that Viggen's performance was exceptional for its day.

[@fdloop]

ludicrous

[@brucewelty7684]

There is no L in DAH soh! Swedish "ACES" really??

[@andreascarlberg3998]

If you talk about skilled pilots as aces then yes. Over 500 pilots have been given their lives for Sweden since ww2. Heros.

[@allybally0021]

Sweden was a great country in those days.

[@richardpatrick2915]

Yea, now the Arabs are there to destroy it.

[@geraldgregory583]

Only a 50000 ft flight ceiling while both the sr71 and u2 cruise at 80,000 and above..

[@catfood_03_4stray]

They could be reached by the Skyflash missiles of the JA-37 ( made in Sweden under licence under the name Rb-71 ).

[@kronop8884]

To intercept the SR71 the Viggen pilots would start their run at 8.000m (26.000 ft) accelerate to Mach 1.35 then pulling up, very gently, continuing to accelerate to between Mach 1.7 and Mach 2.0, topping out at between 18.500 and 20.000m (60.000 - 65000 ft). Radar detection of the target recieved at maximum range, which then locked on immediately afterwards. Simulated missile launches indicated success- the closing velocity was very high, between Mach 4.5 and 5.0; and the the SR-71 was typically flying at Mach 2.98 and 21.500m (70.500 ft).

[@jeromethiel4323]

The Viggen was an okay aircraft. If only it ate meat, eggs, and dairy, it would have been a BEAST! P.S. This is a JOKE based on Vegans.

[@cartmanrlsusall]

More misinformation and bad pronunciation from the dingleberry behind dark skies videos

[@dennistofvesson6351]

Please explain what missinformation it is in this video. I dhure couldn't find any.

[@gangoffour6690]

The Russians have this beat. Look out here comes an SU 57. What war did Sweeden ever win ?

[@ZygmuntKletterstein]

No one dared to defy it? Where was it deployed in order to test this statement? You’re the guy who does all the inaccurate Dark Skies stuff aren’t you?

[@jesperwall839]

There were a lot of “testing” it against the russians over the Baltic Sea. Russia lost at least one aircraft during this “testing”.

[@dlkline27]

What's with that crappy music in the background ruining the narration???

[@gort8203]

Ultra fast? No faster than jets that came along at least a decade earlier. No one dared to defy? More like one cared to defy, as Sweden steadfastly avoided armed conflict.

[@davidfellows8714]

Awful, pointless muzak

[@kiereluurs1243]

Dump the annoying Smurf-sounds ('music'). Cut dislike.