The Quest for Relevant Air Power

swedish Air Force │ 323
gathering. Since 1974 two Sud Aviation Caravelles had been in
SwAF service as SIGINT aircraft. These aircraft were replaced by
two modified Gulfstream G-IVSPs, with the SwAF designation
S 102B Korpen. 235 The S 102B systems were commissioned in 1997
and 1998. 236
In the area of tactical air-to-ground reconnaissance, the SwAF
had two dedicated reconnaissance Viggen versions at its disposal
during the 1980s, the SF 37 Viggen (reconnaissance-land) and the
SH 37 Viggen (reconnaissance-sea). In the early 1990s, 13 SF 37
Viggens and 25 SH 37 Viggens were upgraded to AJSF 37 and
AJSH 37 standard, respectively. To carry out their reconnaissance
tasks, the AJSF 37 Viggens used optical cameras and the AJSH 37
Viggens air-to-ground radar, particularly suited for maritime reconnaissance.
237 With the introduction of the JAS 39 Gripen combat
system, the SwAF entered into an era where specifically dedicated
reconnaissance aircraft are no longer required. The JAS 39
Gripen’s radar is particularly suited for maritime reconnaissance,
and for ground reconnaissance missions, the Gripen received in
2007 an indigenously developed modular reconnaissance pod system,
fitted with a secure data link to provide real-time information
to ground stations. 238 Up to the introduction of this new reconnaissance
pod, 10 AJSF 37 reconnaissance Viggens were kept in
the SwAF’s inventory. 239 In the future, the SwAF’s reconnaissance
capability might be augmented by RPAs. In this domain, the
Swedish aerospace industry is pursuing a cooperative approach. 240
Conclusion
During the post–Cold War era, the SwAF has come a long way
from an air force almost exclusively geared up to autonomous territorial
defence to an air force that can operate in an international
environment. Yet, in an era where power projection and combined
operations have become increasingly important, Sweden’s Cold
War legacy exerted significant inertia upon reforms. Only in the
late 1990s was the Swedish defence establishment ready to forego
fundamental principles such as the focus upon autonomous territorial
defence. The defence reform, commencing in 1999, had
far-reaching consequences for the SwAF. As such, it underwent
massive force cuts. In fact, the SwAF seems to have reached a