The Quest for Relevant Air Power

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Courtesy Gripen International; photo by Frans Dely
ASC 890 Erieye airborne early warning and control aircraft escorted by
a Gripen C and D. The Erieye significantly enhances the SwAF’s air defence
capabilities.
bridge the gap till the introduction of 16 planned JAS 39 Gripen
squadrons was completed. 53 In the mid-1990s, the number of
planned Gripen squadrons was further reduced to 12. 54
In accordance with the strategic security assessment, the Government
Defence Bill 1996/97 reiterated the emphasis upon air defence.
Therefore, the bulk of the JAS 39 Gripen aircraft was planned
to be configured in the air defence role. Furthermore, the JA 37 air
defence Viggen squadrons were to be retained. In contrast, the
AJS 37 attack and reconnaissance Viggen squadrons were planned
to be reduced significantly in the ensuing years. 55
Force modernisation programmes throughout the 1990s were
an integral part of the Flygvapnet 2000 (Swedish Air Force 2000)
concept. It was conceived in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with
the purpose of turning the SwAF into a network-based air force,
implying free flow of information across multiple levels. 56 From a
material point of view, this meant concentration upon a new generation
of systems. 57 Besides the combat aircraft fleet, this programme
particularly hinged upon a modernisation of the SwAF’s
C2 structure (see section on maintaining a relevant air force). In
parallel to these developments, the command structure was