Military Nuts Fighter of the week. Featuring the Saab Draken
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DESCRIPTION:
The Saab Draken (dragon) was requested by the Swedish government in 1949 to fulfill a need for a radar equipped, supersonic air-defense interceptor. The Draken design featured a double delta wing and two fixed-geometry oval engine inlets.
About 600 aircraft were built for Sweden as well as other European nations. Sweden's Draken fleet came in six different variants while two Draken models were offered for export. The early models were intended purely for air-defense, but the J35D introduced a ground attack capability. The last model built was the J35F, the final variant to remain in Swedish service. These aircraft have now been retired and replaced by the Gripen.
Export customers included Denmark whose F-35 aircraft were retired in 1993. Finland updated its J35X fleet with new avionics, cockpit displays, navigational/attack systems, and electronic countermeasures during the 1990s but finally retired the Draken in 2000. The only country still operating the Draken is Austria, but these last few planes are due to be retired in 2005 and will be replaced by the Eurofighter.
Data below for J35J
Last modified 01 March 2005
HISTORY:
First Flight (J35A) 25 October 1955
(S35E) 27 June 1963
Service Entry
8 March 1960
CREW:
1 pilot
ESTIMATED COST:
unknown
AIRFOIL SECTIONS:
Wing Root unknown (5%)
Wing Tip unknown (5%)
DIMENSIONS:
Length 50.33 ft (15.35 m)
Wingspan 30.83 ft (9.40 m)
Height 12.75 ft (3.89 m)
Wing Area 529.6 ft2 (49.2 m2)
Canard Area
not applicable
WEIGHTS:
Empty 18,190 lb (8,250 kg)
Typical Load 24,000 lb (10,900 kg)
Max Takeoff 27,050 lb (12,270 kg)
Fuel Capacity internal: unknown
external: unknown
Max Payload
6,395 lb (2,900 kg)
PROPULSION:
Powerplant one Volvo Flygmotor RM6C afterburning turbojet
Thrust 17,650 lb (78.51 kN) with afterburner
PERFORMANCE:
Max Level Speed at altitude: 1,320 mph (2,125 km/h) at 36,000 ft (10,975 m), Mach 2.0 [clean]; Mach 1.4 with armament
at sea level: unknown
Initial Climb Rate 34,450 ft (10,500 m) / min
Service Ceiling 65,000 ft (19,810 m)
Range typical: 700 nm (1,300 km)
ferry: 1,755 nm (3,250 km)
g-Limits unknown
ARMAMENT:
Gun one 30-mm Aden M/55 cannon (100 rds)
Stations 11 external hardpoints
Air-to-Air Missile Rb24 (version of AIM-9 Sidewinder), Rb27, Rb28
Air-to-Surface Missile none
Bomb 500 kg bombs
Other
rocket pods, ECM pods
KNOWN VARIANTS:
J35A Draken Original fighter model
J35B Draken Improved model with a longer tail, modified landing gear, new radar, improved fire control system, air-to-ground datalink, and increased weapon payload capacity
Sk35C Draken Two-seat trainer
J35D Draken Ground attack model with an improved engine, modified engine inlets, greater fuel capacity, and upgraded radar
S35E Draken Reconnaissance model based on the J35D with five cameras located in a modified nose plus an additional camera that can be carried in either of the cannon bays
J35F Draken Air defense fighter based on the J35D with upgraded avionics and able to carry the Falcon air-to-air missile
J35F-2 Draken Upgraded J35F with an IR sensor under the nose
J35H Draken Proposed improved model with a new radar offered to Switzerland; 1 converted
J35J Draken J35F airframes upgraded with improved radar, avionics, and cockpit displays; 64 converted
J35X Draken Export model based on the J35F but with upgraded attack capability
F-35 or A35XD Danish version of the J35X, includes TF-35 trainers and RF-35 reconnaissance models
KNOWN COMBAT RECORD: none
KNOWN OPERATORS: Austria, Östereichische Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force)
Denmark, Kongelige Danske Flyvevåbnet (Royal Danish Air Force)
Finland, Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force)
Sweden, Svenska Flygvapnet (Swedish Air Force) -
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Why Saab fighters these few weeks?
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1949?!
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wah be happy that there are planes for you to see lah. Don't be choosy.Originally posted by SBS1908B:Why Saab fighters these few weeks? -
eh..okie..so btw where we getting to see either the F-15 or the A-10???Originally posted by CenturionMBT:wah be happy that there are planes for you to see lah. Don't be choosy.
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hmm since you request for it, sometime soon.Originally posted by Lance_han:eh..okie..so btw where we getting to see either the F-15 or the A-10??? -
Hmm, I love ALL Saab & Scania products.
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sorry hor line up. will post the saab after the f16 and the a10 :pOriginally posted by iveco:Hmm, I love ALL Saab & Scania products. -
eh... i mean the F-15???Originally posted by CenturionMBT:sorry hor line up. will post the saab after the f16 and the a10 :p -
right . . . .typo grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
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Look who;s choosy!
I juz questioning why all Saab? Anyway, its a great job you are doing. Thumbs up to you.
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well..its better to make known those less well known planes. current american aircraft like th F-15/16 or A-10 are well known enough. you should post smth abt vietnam era american aircraft or those pre MiG-29 and pre su-30 series russian aircraft
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SAAB fighters? Engine is from Volvo nowadaysOriginally posted by SBS1908B:Why Saab fighters these few weeks? -
no wonder nowadays i see ppl drive volvo like machiam driving ferrari like tat...so fastOriginally posted by sbst275:SAAB fighters? Engine is from Volvo nowadays
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Isn't it a bit too late to do a post on the Saab Draken. Afterall, it's been phased out from Swedish service already. I read the Air Forces Monthly megazine article about the final flight of the Draken. Apparently, except for a few samples which will end up in museums, the rest would be scrapped.
On a side note, the article mentioned that the Draken scrap has been purchased by liqour companies to make beer cans, so if you're visiting Sweden, the local beer is served in former Drakens. What a way for an old cold war relic to end up... -
i post it cos it is unusual, rare and extremely unique. Nothing to do with its service life.Originally posted by aerozapper:Isn't it a bit too late to do a post on the Saab Draken. Afterall, it's been phased out from Swedish service already. I read the Air Forces Monthly megazine article about the final flight of the Draken. Apparently, except for a few samples which will end up in museums, the rest would be scrapped.
On a side note, the article mentioned that the Draken scrap has been purchased by liqour companies to make beer cans, so if you're visiting Sweden, the local beer is served in former Drakens. What a way for an old cold war relic to end up...
to me planes are like women. When they first come out to service, they are young robust and sexy and so, everybody loves them. But as they age, they seem to be mellow in their own way. They seem to look more graceful in a way, as if years of operation have matured them and this is the kind of image that always appear in my head when i see an old close to retirement aircraft. -
haha thank you for your kind support. Will continue posting. If i find this popular, maybe i will branch off to military helicopters, rifles, afv etc.Originally posted by SBS1908B:Look who;s choosy!
I juz questioning why all Saab? Anyway, its a great job you are doing. Thumbs up to you. -
Originally posted by Lance_han:no wonder nowadays i see ppl drive volvo like machiam driving ferrari like tat...so fast
Scania (SAAB) and Volvo are rivals for automobile... Partners in aerospace -
Interesting relationship. Macam love-hate like that.Originally posted by sbst275:
Scania (SAAB) and Volvo are rivals for automobile... Partners in aerospace
Saab's car-manufacturing division has since been spun off to GM. However, both Saab and Scania retain the gryphon badge, although with variations. The older model Saab cars and the CRBs still have the "SAAB-SCANIA" badge. -
Here's another one: the Saab Viggen
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Originally posted by iveco:Interesting relationship. Macam love-hate like that.
Saab's car-manufacturing division has since been spun off to GM. However, both Saab and Scania retain the gryphon badge, although with variations. The older model Saab cars and the CRBs still have the "SAAB-SCANIA" badge. -
Hahahahaz, just dun deprive me of planes!Originally posted by CenturionMBT:haha thank you for your kind support. Will continue posting. If i find this popular, maybe i will branch off to military helicopters, rifles, afv etc.