Saab Draken

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Image:Saabdraken.jpg The Saab J 35 Draken (The word 'draken' can mean either Kite or Dragon) or Saab 35 is a Swedish fighter aircraft manufactured by Saab between 1955 and 1974. Draken was built to replace Saab Tunnan and, later, the fighter variant (J 32B) of the Saab Lansen.

1 Development
2 Draken Variants
3 Operators
4 Specifications (J 35F Draken)
5 External links
6 Related content

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Development

As the jet era started Sweden saw the need for a jet fighter that could intercept bombers at high altitude, but also take on fighters. The concept is similar to the US Air Force' F-104 Starfighter. In September 1949, the FMV issued a request for such an aircraft and work began the same year. Other requirements were the capability to able to operate from public roads used as temporary airfields, and re-fueling/re-arming to be carried out by conscripts with little training, in no more than 10 minutes.

Image:Draken-09.jpg Its wings have a distinctive "double-delta" configuration, with one delta wing within another larger delta. The inner wing has an 80° angle for high speed performance, while the outer 60° wing gives good performance at low speeds. The double-delta shape was so revolutionary that it warranted the only test aircraft built in Sweden in order to test the concept of the double delta; that aircraft was the Saab 210 "Lill Draken". Propulsion is provided by a single Svenska Flygmotor RM6B/C turbojet (Rolls-Royce Avon 200/300). A ram turbine under the nose provides emergency power, and the engine has a built-in emergency starter unit. Draken has a drag chute to reduce landing speed.

All Drakens are interceptors, with the sole exception of the Danish Drakens, which are strike aircraft capable of carrying AGM-12 Bullpup missiles, advanced jammers, and increased internal and external fuel stores. The Danish Drakens are so far the heaviest to have been in service.

The aircraft had good performance for its day when it entered service in 1960. Although not designed to be a dogfighter, Draken proved to have good instantaneous turn capability and was a very capable fighter.

The J 35 Draken underwent several upgrades. The last was the J 35J version in the early 1990s. By then it had been almost totally replaced by Saab Viggen and Saab Gripen in Swedish service, although it remains in limited numbers in both military and civilian versions. Special models has also been exported to Denmark and Finland. In 1985 the Austrian air force purchased 24 Saab-Scania reconditioned Draken. In the United States, the National Test Pilot School (NTPS) operates six Draken that were formerly in Danish service.

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Draken Variants

J 35A - First production variant not all delivered with radar some modified to carry IR seekers.
J 35B - Redesigned engine exhaust, the first Draken to carry AA rocket pods
SK 35C - Two seater trainer, the last version to use the Avon 200 or RM 6BS turbojet engine.
J 35D - The fastest Draken version, the fuel ran out before it stopped accelerating. The first Draken to use the Avon 300 or RM 6C turbojet engine.
S 35E - Unarmed reconnaissance version.
J 35F - The first version to be fitted with radar guided AA missiles.
J 35F2 - Upgraded version fitted with an IR seeker.
J 35J - Updated variant of the J35F2, the main external difference is the two sidewinder pylons under the air intakes. Originally designated J 35F Mod or J 35F-Ny .
SAAB 35H - Purposed export version for the Swiss Air Force, never sold or delivered to Switzerland.
SAAB 35XD - Danish export versions. F-35 (A 35XD) single-seat fighter, TF-35 (Sk 35XD) two-seat trainer and RF-35 (S 35XD) reconnaissance aircraft.
SAAB 35XS - Fighter version for the Finnish Air Force. Built under licence by Valmet in Finland.
SAAB 35BS - Used J35B's sold to Finland
SAAB 35DS - Used J35D's sold to Finland
SAAB 35CS - Used SK35C's sold to Finland
SAAB 35OE - Modified J35D's sold to Austria