Three-in-One Plane

A neutral that always believes in being well armed, Sweden since World War II has poured billions of kronor into a potent 700-plane jet air force. Forgoing bombers, the Swedes have concentrated on interceptors, ground-attack and reconnaissance planes. But even to maintain three kinds of military aircraft is a heavy economic burden on so small a country. To cut costs, the Swedes have now designed a plane to do all three jobs: the all-weather, Mach 2-plus Viggen J37.

Named for the three-tongued bolt of lightning that sparked from Thor's hammer, the Viggen was designed by Saab (for Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget). Saab currently reaps half its $136 million annual sales from autos, trucks and tractors, but it is also the Continent's biggest privately owned aircraft manufacturer.

Saab's designers have come up with an unusual configuration for the Viggen. To obtain both maximum efficiency at full throttle aloft and the slow landing speed needed for the short makeshift runways, Saab Chief Designer Erik Bratt, 46, turned to a design used at the time of the Wright brothers, but seldom since. Bratt has placed a canard--a nose wing with adjustable flaps--in front of the Viggen's main delta wing. The canard will help the Viggen make tighter turns--especially at supersonic speeds--and will slow it rapidly for landings.

Bratt's plane, which will be ready for flight testing two years from now, promises to be a bonanza for a large part of Swedish industry. Though the Swedish air force has traditionally acted as its own prime contractor on planes, Saab will perform that role for the Viggen and is now letting out subcontracts to 1,500 other Swedish firms. L. M. Ericsson, Sweden's aggressive manufacturer of telephone equipment, will be responsible for the Viggen's radar, Standard Radio (a Swedish subsidiary of International Telephone and Telegraph) will make the operations control system, and Svenska Flygmotor will build the souped-up JT8D engine under license from Pratt & Whitney. Slated to reach quantity production in 1969-70, Viggen is expected to keep 10,000 Swedish workmen busy for several years and to pour at least $600 million into the coffers of Swedish industry.

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