Zweedse luchtmacht

Slagorde · Sweden

Zweedse luchtmacht

Flygvapnet

The Swedish Air Force, Flygvapnet, founded on 1 July 1926, spent most of its first century as the armed guarantee of Swedish neutrality — by 1957 one of the strongest air forces in the world, flying home-built Saab jets from rock hangars and road bases while secretly preparing links to the West — and marks its centenary as a NATO member with the first Gripen E in service, GlobalEye on order and the choice of its next fighter still open.

Nationale markeringThree yellow crowns on a blue disc
Slechte zichtbaarheidThe same three crowns and disc in subdued grey tones
96Gevechtsvliegtuigen
8Actieve luchtbases
1926Opgericht
25Typen gepensioneerd
Foto: Alan Wilson uit Peterborough, Cambs, VK / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
LandZwedenOpgericht1926StatusActiefHoofdkwartierCommandantJonas Wikman
Het verhaal

The Swedish Air Force story: armed neutrality, home-built jets and a centenary inside NATO

1926: two air arms become Flygvapnet — and a centenary in 2026

Flygvapnet was created on 1 July 1926, when the aircraft units of the Swedish Army and Navy were merged into a third, independent service. It began small, and the international tension of the 1930s forced a reorganisation that expanded it from four to seven wings. The Air Force marked its hundredth birthday on 1 July 2026: the Swedish Air Force Museum at Malmen, Linköping, opened its centenary exhibition EFFEKT that day, telling the century through its engines, and the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration used the anniversary to set out how the next generation of air power is being shaped. The anniversary falls in the first years of Swedish NATO membership, which makes it a natural moment to ask what a century of armed non-alignment built, and what it cost.

1939–1945: volunteers in Finland and a scramble for fighters

The Second World War found the Air Force short of modern aircraft. Gladiators were the front-line fighters; 120 Seversky EP-106s were ordered from the United States in 1939–1940, but only 60 arrived before Washington embargoed the rest in October 1940. Sweden turned to Italy for 72 Fiat CR.42s and 60 Reggiane Re.2000s, and built its own stopgap, the FFVS J 22. Meanwhile the volunteer wing F 19 fought for Finland in the Winter War from January 1940 under Finnish markings, with twelve Gladiators and four Hawker Harts. By 1945 the Air Force had more than 800 combat-ready aircraft — but fuel was scarce, and about 250 aircrew were killed in crashes between 1939 and 1945.

1945–1960s: armed neutrality and the Saab jets

After the war Sweden chose armed neutrality and a domestic aircraft industry to back it. Vampires arrived from 1946, Saab’s J 21R became the first Swedish jet in 1947, and the swept-wing J 29 Tunnan followed in 1951, backed by Venom night fighters and Hunters. By 1957, in a widely quoted estimate, Sweden had the world’s fourth most powerful air force, with about 1,000 modern aircraft in front-line service. The price was paid in lives: more than 600 fighter pilots were killed in peacetime crashes between 1945 and 1991, about 21 a year in the 1950s. The Cold War also came close in June 1952, when Soviet MiG-15s shot down a Swedish signals-intelligence DC-3 with eight men aboard and, three days later, a Catalina searching for it.

The Cold War system: road bases, rock hangars and a secret Western link

Swedish doctrine assumed the main airfields would be hit on the first day. Under Bas 60 and later Bas 90, squadrons of eight to twelve aircraft dispersed to wartime bases and road strips of 1,500 to 2,000 metres — later short strips of 800 metres — serviced by conscript ground crews; the Viggen was designed for exactly that. Some aircraft went underground: the rock hangar at Säve, beside the F 9 wing at Gothenburg, was completed in 1955, 22,000 square metres of floor about 30 metres down. The Tunnan went to war in the Congo for the United Nations from 1961. And behind the neutral facade, a government commission revealed in 1994 that Sweden had prepared secret links to Danish, Norwegian and US Air Force networks and lengthened runways for heavy Western aircraft between 1949 and 1969, known only to a very small circle.

1990s–2013: the Gripen, deep cuts and Libya

The Viggen gave way to the JAS 39 Gripen, a light multirole fighter. Its start was painful: the first prototype crashed on landing on 2 February 1989, and a production aircraft crashed in front of crowds at the Stockholm Water Festival on 8 August 1993; both pilots lived. Sweden ordered 204 in three batches, yet the end of the Cold War shrank the force from more than 400 fighters in 1994 to fewer than 150 by 2005, and wings such as F 16 at Uppsala were closed. The Gripen proved itself over Libya in 2011, when Sweden was the only participant in the no-fly zone outside NATO and the Arab League. Two years later came the embarrassment: in 2013 the Air Force could not answer a simulated Russian bomber attack on Stockholm, and NATO’s Baltic patrol was scrambled instead.

2022–2026: NATO, the Gripen E and the next fighter

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine ended Swedish military non-alignment. Sweden applied to join NATO with Finland on 18 May 2022 and became a member on 7 March 2024. Within a year six Gripens were flying enhanced air policing from Poland, and in February–March 2026 F 7 flew the first Swedish rotation over Iceland. The first Gripen E reached F 7 on 20 October 2025; GlobalEye airborne early warning jets follow from 2027. Sweden gave its two ASC 890s to Ukraine in 2024 and has since agreed to supply Gripens as well. The defence budget reached 175 billion kronor in 2026, and on 9 September 2026 FMV signed about 3.3 billion kronor of contracts for demonstrators to inform a decision on what follows the Gripen after 2040. The minister who oversaw it, Pål Jonson, leads a caretaker ministry while a new government is formed.

The Second World War found the Air Force short of modern aircraft. Gladiators were the front-line fighters; 120 Seversky EP-106s were ordered from the United States in 1939–1940, but only 60 arrived before Washington embargoed the rest in October 1940.Swedish Air Force · verified 2026-09-28
In één oogopslag

The Swedish Air Force in numbers

Dienst

Inheemse naam
FlygvapnetSwedish is the only official national language, and the service is Flygvapnet in every official use, as in the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration’s centenary article “Flygvapnet 100 år”. It is one of the branches of Försvarsmakten, the Swedish Armed Forces
Opgericht
1 July 1926Created by merging the aircraft units of the Army and the Navy. The Swedish Air Force Museum opened its centenary exhibition EFFEKT on 1 July 2026, the hundredth anniversary
Onderdeel van
Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten)The Chief of Defence is Gen. Michael Claesson. Helicopters are part of the Air Force through the Helicopter Wing (Helikopterflottiljen)
Chief of the Air Force
Maj. Gen. Jonas WikmanFlygvapenchef since 14 December 2022, succeeding Maj. Gen. Carl-Johan Edström. A former Draken pilot and commander of F 10
Minister for Defence
Pål JonsonIn a caretaker government since 17 September 2026: after the September 2026 general election the Speaker dismissed the Prime Minister and the ministers at the Prime Minister’s request, and they remain in office until a new government is formed. Government formation was still under way at the end of September 2026
Next fighter
Not yet chosenOn 9 September 2026 FMV signed about 2.9 billion kronor with Saab and about 390 million kronor with GKN Aerospace, to 2028, for studies and demonstrators, including two autonomous flying demonstrators, to inform decisions on combat air capability after 2040
Alliance
NATO member since 7 March 2024Partnership for Peace from 9 May 1994; applied with Finland on 18 May 2022; Hungary’s ratification was the last to be deposited. A 1994 government commission revealed that Sweden had secretly prepared to receive Western military help between 1949 and 1969

Kracht

Personeel
About 2,700Air Force figure given in the English Wikipedia infobox; the ministry does not publish a separate Air Force headcount in the pages checked. The armed forces as a whole have 29,600 active personnel
Gevechtsvliegtuigen
  • JAS 39C/D Gripen — about 94 (71 C and 23 D)
  • JAS 39E Gripen — 2 delivered, 58 more on order

C/D figure from the inventory table in the English Wikipedia article; 24 older A/B airframes are listed as stored. Sixteen C/Ds were announced in May 2026 as a donation to Ukraine; how many have left is not published

Trainers
  • Sk 40 (Grob G 120TP) — 13
  • JAS 39D Gripen two-seaters for advanced and operational training

The Sk 60 (Saab 105) jet trainer was retired on 18 June 2024 after 57 years

Transport en speciale missie
  • Tp 84 (C-130H Hercules) — 5, plus 1 KC-130H tanker
  • S 102B Korpen (Gulfstream IV SIGINT) — 2
  • C-17 Globemaster III — flight-hour share of three aircraft in the multinational Strategic Airlift Capability, Pápa, Hungary

Both ASC 890 airborne early warning aircraft were pledged to Ukraine in May 2024; three GlobalEye (S 106) are on order

Helikopters
  • Hkp 14E/F (NH90 TTH) — 18, to be withdrawn from 2027 (14E) and 2030 (14F)
  • Hkp 16 (UH-60M Black Hawk) — 15, with 12 more ordered
  • Hkp 15A/B (AW109 LUH) — 20
Defensiebudget
175 billion kronor (2026)Whole armed forces, about 2.8 per cent of GDP, up from 143 billion kronor (2.4 per cent) in 2025

Infrastructuur

Vliegende vleugels
  • F 7 Skaraborg Wing — Såtenäs, Gripen C/D and the first Gripen E
  • F 17 Blekinge Wing — Ronneby, Gripen C/D
  • F 21 Norrbotten Wing — Luleå, Gripen C/D
  • F 16 Uppland Wing — Ärna, Uppsala, re-established 14 October 2021, no fighter squadrons
Helicopter Wing
  • 1st Squadron — Luleå, NH90
  • 2nd Squadron — Malmen, AW109 and UH-60M
  • 3rd Squadron — Ronneby, NH90 and AW109
  • 4th Squadron — Malmen, AW109 and UH-60M
Dispersed road bases
Bas 60 and Bas 90Cold War dispersal onto wartime bases and road strips of 1,500–2,000 m (Bas 60) and short strips of 800 m (Bas 90); about 20 bases had been upgraded to Bas 90 standard when the programme was halted in the mid-1990s
Rock hangars
Säve (former F 9), now the Aeroseum museumCompleted in 1955 about 30 metres underground with 22,000 square metres of floor space
Museum
Flygvapenmuseum, Malmen, LinköpingMore than 300 aircraft and helicopters in the collection, about 50 on display, including the DC-3 shot down in 1952
Structuur

How the Swedish Air Force is organised

One chief, four wings and a helicopter wing. Three wings fly the Gripen — F 7 at Såtenäs, F 17 at Ronneby and F 21 at Luleå — while F 16 at Uppsala, re-established in 2021, has no fighter squadrons and watches Swedish airspace instead. Helicopters belong to the Air Force through the Helicopter Wing.

JW

Major General (generalmajor)Jonas WikmanChief of the Air Force (flygvapenchef) · in office since 2022
Chief of the Air ForceFlygvapenchef
Commando

Chief of the Air Force

Flygvapenchef

Maj. Gen. Jonas Wikman, in post since 14 December 2022. The Air Force is one of the branches of Försvarsmakten, the Swedish Armed Forces, under the Chief of Defence, Gen. Michael Claesson.

Frontlinie

Skaraborg Wing (F 7)

Skaraborgs flygflottilj
Såtenäs

Gripen C/D and the first Gripen E, and the Gripencentrum that trains every Swedish and foreign Gripen pilot. F 7 also flies the Hercules, runs transport and special flying from Malmen and Arlanda, and manages Sweden’s share of the C-17s at Pápa.

Frontlinie

Blekinge Wing (F 17)

Blekinge flygflottilj
Ronneby

Two combat-ready Gripen squadrons at Kallinge, the exercise base at Hagshult and the Gotland detachment at Visby.

Frontlinie

Norrbotten Wing (F 21)

Norrbottens flygflottilj
Luleå

Sweden’s northernmost wing: Gripen C/D squadrons at Luleå, side bases at Jokkmokk and Vidsel, and one of the largest air exercise areas in the world.

Luchtbewaking

Uppland Wing (F 16)

Upplands flygflottilj
Uppsala

Re-established on 14 October 2021 with no fighter squadrons: command and control of the Air Force’s fighters and round-the-clock surveillance of Swedish airspace, with an air base battalion and a garrison battalion.

Helikopters

Helicopter Wing

Helikopterflottiljen
Linköping-Malmen

The Armed Forces’ only helicopter unit, formed on 1 January 1998: rescue, transport and reconnaissance with the Hkp 14 (NH90), Hkp 15 (AW109) and Hkp 16 (UH-60M) from Linköping, Luleå and Ronneby.

In dienst

What the Swedish Air Force flies today

Elk type is gekoppeld aan de bijbehorende pagina in het Boek der Beesten, indien aanwezig. Het aantal vliegtuigen betreft de geregistreerde vliegtuigen, niet de vliegtuigen die op een bepaalde dag beschikbaar zijn.

Type Rol In dienst Sinds Eenheden Notities
Saab JAS 39C/D GripenIn dienst Multifunctionele gevechtsvliegtuig 94 1997 — About 94: 71 single-seat C and 23 two-seat D in the English Wikipedia inventory table, which the Swedish Armed Forces article rounds to 94 Gripens.

Meer

204 A/B/C/D were ordered in three batches; 24 A/Bs are listed as stored. Sixteen C/Ds were announced as a donation to Ukraine in May 2026 and will reduce the total.
Saab JAS 39E GripenIn dienst Multifunctionele gevechtsvliegtuig 2 2025 — Two delivered by 2026 per the English Wikipedia inventory; 60 were ordered, so 58 are still to come (see on order).
Lockheed C-130H Hercules (Tp 84)In dienst Tactical transport and tanker 6 — Five C-130H plus one KC-130H tanker.
Gulfstream IV-SP (S 102B Korpen)In dienst Signaalintelligentie 2 — Two.
NHIndustries NH90 TTH (Hkp 14E/14F)In dienst Transport, search and rescue and anti-submarine helicopter 18 — 18 ordered in 2001: nine land (14E) and nine naval (14F, with sonar).
Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk (Hkp 16)In dienst Utility and medevac helicopter 15 2012 — 15 in service, bought through US Foreign Military Sales; 12 more ordered (see on order).
Leonardo AW109 LUH (Hkp 15A/15B)In dienst Lichte utiliteitshelikopter 20 — 20 in the English Wikipedia inventory; the service entry date is not given in the sources checked.
Grob G 120TP (Sk 40)In dienst Basistrainer 13 2023 — Ten ordered in 2021 and three more announced in October 2024.
JAS 39C/D94
Hkp 1520
Hkp 1418
Hkp 1615
Sk 4013
Tp 846
JAS 39E2
S 102B2

Op bestelling

Type Besteld Eerste levering Notities
Saab JAS 39E GripenOp bestelling 58 2025 The balance of the 60 approved on 17 January 2013 for delivery from 2018 to 2027; the first was handed over on 20 October 2025.

Meer

The English Wikipedia article reports a plan for 12 more in 2026, for a future fleet of 60 C/D and 72 E; no contract for them was found.
Saab GlobalEye (S 106)Op bestelling 3 2027 Two ordered on 30 June 2022 for 7.3 billion kronor and a third in June 2024 to replace the ASC 890s given to Ukraine; deliveries from 2027.

Meer

The Netherlands announced its intention to buy GlobalEye on 10 September 2026.
Embraer C-390 MillenniumOp bestelling 4 Selected in November 2024 in a trilateral procurement with Austria and the Netherlands, with options for seven more across the three; ordered in October 2025 according to Wikipedia.

Meer

Delivery dates not published in the sources checked. Replaces the Tp 84 Hercules.
Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk (Hkp 16)Op bestelling 12 Twelve more to add to the 15 bought in 2011, partly to replace the NH90. Sources disagree on the date of the order: June 2024 (UH-60 article) or July 2025 (Swedish Air Force article).
Voorheen in bedrijf

Every type the Swedish Air Force has retired

25 types, from the Hawker Hart (B 4) to the Saab 105 (Sk 60). De piekcijfers hebben betrekking op het aantal vliegtuigen dat gedurende de gehele levensduur in gebruik is genomen, niet op de vlootsterkte op een bepaalde datum.

Type Rol Piek Geserveerd Vervangen door Notities
Saab 105 (Sk 60) Jet trainer and light attack 150 1967–2024 Sk 40 and Gripen D 150 ordered; 115 were later re-engined with Williams FJ44s as the Sk 60W from September 1996.
Saab 340 AEW (S 100B/S 100D Argus, ASC 890) Luchtwaarschuwing 6 1997–2024 GlobalEye (S 106) Six S 100B; two upgraded to S 100D (ASC 890).
Aérospatiale AS332 Super Puma (Hkp 10) Zoek- en reddingshelikopter 12 — NH90 and UH-60M 12 procured in 1988.
Boeing Vertol 107 and Kawasaki KV-107 (Hkp 4) Anti-submarine, transport and rescue helicopter 18 1963–2011 UH-60M and NH90 Ten Hkp 4A in 1963 and eight Kawasaki-built Hkp 4B in 1973.
Saab 37 Viggen (AJ, SF, SH, SK en JA 37) Attack, reconnaissance and interceptor 329 1971–2005 JAS 39 Gripen 329 built: 108 AJ 37, 17 SK 37, 28 SF 37, 27 SH 37 and about 150 JA 37.
Scottish Aviation Bulldog (Sk 61) Basistrainer 58 1971–2001 — 58 delivered in 1971; 20 army Fpl 61Cs joined in 1989.
Saab 35 Draken Onderschepper — 1960–1999 — 651 built between 1955 and 1974, including 51 for Denmark and new-build aircraft for Finland; Austria bought 24 refurbished ex-Swedish J 35Ds.

Meer

The Swedish share is therefore lower than 651; an exact figure is not given in the sources checked.
Saab 32 Lansen Attack, all-weather fighter and reconnaissance 450 1955–1997 AJ 37 Viggen 450 in the type total; the variant figures (287 A 32A, 120 J 32B, 45 S 32C) add up to 452, so one of them probably includes pre-series aircraft.
Saab 29 Tunnan Fighter, attack and reconnaissance 661 1951–1976 — 661 built between 1950 and 1956; 30 J 29Fs were later sold to Austria.
Hawker Hunter Mk 50 (J 34) Dagvechter 120 1955–1969 — 120 Mk 50s, equivalent to the F.4, contracted on 29 June 1954.
de Havilland Vampire (J 28A, J 28B, J 28C) Gevechtsvliegtuig en straaltrainer — 1946–1968 J 29 Tunnan, J 34 Hunter and Sk 60 (trainers) 70 J 28A (F.1), 310 J 28B (FB.50) and 57 J 28C two-seat trainers; twelve of the trainers were converted from J 28Bs, so the combined total is not a simple sum.
de Havilland Venom NF.51 (J 33) Nachtjager 62 1953–1960 — 62, with Swedish licence-built engines.
Saab 18 (B 18, T 18) Bomber and attack 245 1944–1959 — 245 built: 62 B 18A, 119 B 18B and 52 T 18B (the total also includes prototypes).
Saab 21 and 21R (J 21, J 21R) Fighter and attack 298 1945–1954 — 298 piston-engined J 21As; the number of jet J 21Rs is not given in the sources checked.
Saab 17 (B 17, S 17) Dive bomber and reconnaissance 323 1942–1954 — 132 B 17A, 55 B 17B, 77 B 17C, 21 S 17BL and 38 S 17BS floatplanes.
FFVS J 22 Vechter 198 1943–1952 — 198 built 1942–1946.
Seversky EP-106 (J 9) Vechter 60 1940–1952 — 120 ordered in 1939–1940; 60 delivered in 1940 and the rest requisitioned by the US Army Air Corps as P-35As.
Reggiane Re.2000 Falco I (J 20) Vechter 60 1941–1945 — 60 delivered 1941–1943.
Fiat CR.42 Falco (J 11) Vechter 72 1940–1945 J 22 72 delivered between February 1940 and September 1941.
North American P-51D Mustang (J 26) Vechter — — — UNVERIFIED total. Forty-four ex-Swedish F-51Ds were sold to the Dominican Republic in 1948.
Gloster Gladiator (J 8, J 8A) Vechter — 1937– J 9 (Seversky EP-106) UNVERIFIED total. J 8s (Mk I) were delivered in 1937–1938 and J 8As (Mk II) in 1938–1939.
Hawker Hart (B 4) Light bomber and dive bomber 46 1934– — Four pattern aircraft delivered in 1934 and 42 built under licence by Götaverken, Gothenburg.
North American Harvard and T-6 (Sk 16) Trainer 257 — — 145 Harvard IIb (Sk 16A), 106 T-6A/B and SNJ-3/4 (Sk 16B) and six SNJ-2 (Sk 16C).
Saab 91 Safir (Tp 91, Sk 50) Trainer and liaison 110 1951– Sk 61 Bulldog 20 91A, 76 91B and 14 91C.
Junkers Ju 52 (Tp 5) Vervoer — — — UNVERIFIED number and dates.
Luchtbases

Where the Swedish Air Force flies from, and the wings it closed

Black pins are active bases, hollow pins the wings that have closed. Seventeen entries but only three fighter wings: the other Cold War wings closed between 1969 and 2005, and the rock hangar at Säve is now a museum. Inschrijvingen zonder gepubliceerde luchthavengegevens hebben geen pincode.

Actieve luchtmachtbasis Gesloten of reserverenKlik op een speld om de basispagina te openen.
Baseren ICAO Status Startbaan Eenheden en vliegtuigen
HagshultJönköping County ESMV Actief 04/222,020 m —
Linköping-MalmenÖstergötland provincie ESCF Actief 01/192,214 m08/261,870 m
  • Helikopterflottiljen (Helicopter Wing) headquarters: Hkp 14 (NH90), Hkp 15 (A109), Hkp 16 (UH-60M Black Hawk)
  • 2nd Helicopter Squadron: Hkp 15 (A109), Hkp 16 (UH-60M Black Hawk)
  • Transport and special flying (F 7 detachment): TP 100 (Saab 340), S 100D (Saab 340 AEW), S 102B (Gulfstream IV SIGINT)
  • Flight School (Flygskolan), Air Combat School (LSS): Sk 40 (Grob G 120TP)
  • Flight School (Flygskolan), Sk 60 era: Sk 60 (Saab 105)
  • Östgöta Wing (F 3): S 1 to S 22 reconnaissance types, J 28A Vampire, J 29A Tunnan, J 35D and J 35F Draken
Luleå-KallaxF 21Norrbotten County ESPA Actief 14/323.350 m
  • F 21 fighter squadrons (stridsflygdivisioner): JAS 39C/D Gripen
  • 1st Helicopter Squadron (Helikopterflottiljen): Hkp 14 (NH90)
RonnebyF 17Blekinge County ESDF Actief 01/192,331 m
SåtenäsF 7Västra Götaland County ESIB Actief 01/192,264 m11/291,933 m
  • Gripencentrum: JAS 39 Gripen
  • F 7 Gripen squadrons: JAS 39 Gripen
  • F 7 air transport squadron (73rd Transport Squadron): TP 84 Hercules
  • F 7 transport and special flying (S 100D, TP 100, TP 102, S 102B): S 100D (Saab 340 AEW), TP 100 (Saab 340), TP 102 (Gulfstream IV and G550), S 102B (Gulfstream IV SIGINT)
  • F 7 bomber and attack squadrons: B 16A (Caproni), B 17A, A 32A Lansen, AJ 37 Viggen
Stockholm Arlandastate flightStockholm County ESSA Actief 01L/19R3,301 m01R/19L2500 m08/262500 m
  • State flight squadron (TP 102): TP 102 (Gulfstream IV and G550)
UppsalaF 16Uppsala County ESCM Actief 08/261,963 m03/211,906 m
  • 161st Command and Air Surveillance Battalion
  • 162nd Air Base Battalion
  • 163rd Garrison Battalion
VisbyF 17 GotlandGotland County ESSV Actief 03/212.000 m10/281.100 mgras
FrösönF 4Jämtland County ESNZ Gesloten in 2005. 12/302500 m
ÄngelholmF 10Skåne County ESTA Closed 2002 14/321,945 m
SöderhamnF 15Gävleborg County Gesloten in 1998. —
Bråvalla, NorrköpingF 13Östergötland provincie Gesloten in 1994. —
KarlsborgF 6Västra Götaland County ESIA Gesloten in 1994. 06/242,289 m
Västerås-HässlöF 1Västmanland County ESOW Closed 1983 01/192,581 m
BarkarbyF 8Stockholm County Closed 1974 —
TullingeF 18Stockholm County Closed 1974 —
SäveF 9Västra Götaland County ESGP Gesloten in 1969. 01/191,085 m

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Slagorde

Who is stationed where in the Swedish Air Force

Vliegende eenheden per basis, met de huidige eenheden eerst. The official pages do not number the Gripen squadrons, so they are listed by wing; where a squadron number comes only from Wikipedia, the entry says so.

Luleå-Kallax Air Base (F 21) · ESPANorrbotten Wing
F 21 fighter squadrons (stridsflygdivisioner)Fighter squadrons · active
JAS 39C/D Gripen
1st Helicopter Squadron (Helikopterflottiljen)Helicopter squadron · active
Hkp 14 (NH90)
Luchtmachtbasis Ronneby (F 17) · ESDFBlekinge Wing
F 17 fighter squadrons (two stridsflygdivisioner, including the 171st)Fighter squadrons · active
JAS 39 Gripen
3rd Helicopter Squadron (Helikopterflottiljen)Helicopter squadron · active
Hkp 14 (NH90), Hkp 15 (A109)
F 17 attack and reconnaissance squadrons1944–2002
B 3 (Junkers Ju 86), T 18 B, A 32 Lansen, J 35F Draken, S 37 and JA 37 Viggen
Såtenäs Air Base (F 7) · ESIBSkaraborg Wing
GripencentrumGripen conversion and training unit · active
JAS 39 Gripen
F 7 Gripen squadronsFighter squadrons · active
JAS 39 Gripen
F 7 air transport squadron (73rd Transport Squadron)Tactical airlift · active
TP 84 Hercules
F 7 transport and special flying (S 100D, TP 100, TP 102, S 102B)Airborne surveillance, signals intelligence and personnel transport · active
S 100D (Saab 340 AEW), TP 100 (Saab 340), TP 102 (Gulfstream IV and G550), S 102B (Gulfstream IV SIGINT)
F 7 bomber and attack squadrons1940–1993
B 16A (Caproni), B 17A, A 32A Lansen, AJ 37 Viggen
Linköping-Malmen Air Base · ESCFHelicopter Wing
Helikopterflottiljen (Helicopter Wing) headquartersHelicopter wing · active
Hkp 14 (NH90), Hkp 15 (A109), Hkp 16 (UH-60M Black Hawk)
2nd Helicopter SquadronHelicopter squadron · active
Hkp 15 (A109), Hkp 16 (UH-60M Black Hawk)
Transport and special flying (F 7 detachment)Personnel transport and airborne surveillance · active
TP 100 (Saab 340), S 100D (Saab 340 AEW), S 102B (Gulfstream IV SIGINT)
Flight School (Flygskolan), Air Combat School (LSS)Basic military flying training · active
Sk 40 (Grob G 120TP)
Flight School (Flygskolan), Sk 60 era2003–2024
Sk 60 (Saab 105)
Östgöta Wing (F 3)1926–1974
S 1 to S 22 reconnaissance types, J 28A Vampire, J 29A Tunnan, J 35D and J 35F Draken
Uppsala (F 16) · ESCMUppland Wing
161st Command and Air Surveillance BattalionAir command and control battalion · active
—
162nd Air Base BattalionAir base battalion · active
—
163rd Garrison BattalionGarrison battalion · active
—
Visby (F 17 Gotland) · ESSVBlekinge Wing
F 17 GotlandForward detachment (maintenance, rescue and base services) · active
JAS 39 Gripen (visiting)
Stockholm Arlanda (state flight) · ESSASkaraborg Wing
State flight squadron (TP 102)VIP and government transport · active
TP 102 (Gulfstream IV and G550)

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Tijdlijn

Swedish Air Force milestones, 1914 to today

1926

1 July: the aircraft units of the Army and the Navy are merged into Flygvapnet, an independent third service.

1934

The first four Hawker Harts arrive; 42 more are built under licence by Götaverken as the B 4.

1940

10 January: the volunteer wing F 19 reaches Finnish Lapland with Gladiators and Harts. In October the United States embargoes the rest of Sweden’s fighter orders.

1942

20 September: the home-built FFVS J 22 flies for the first time, from Bromma.

1945

The Air Force has more than 800 combat-ready aircraft; the Saab J 21 enters service on 1 December.

1946

The first 70 de Havilland Vampires are bought; as the J 28A they go to F 13 at Bråvalla.

1951

May: the Saab J 29 Tunnan enters service with F 13.

1952

13 June: Soviet fighters shoot down the signals-intelligence DC-3 (Tp 79) over the Baltic with eight aboard; on 16 June the Catalina searching for it is shot down too.

1954

29 June: a contract for 120 Hawker Hunters is signed. A J 29 sets a 500 km closed-circuit speed record of 977 km/h.

1955

The rock hangar at Säve is completed; in December the A 32 Lansen enters service.

1957

Sweden has the world’s fourth most powerful air force, with about 1,000 modern aircraft in front-line service.

1960

6 March: the J 35 Draken enters front-line service with F 13 at Norrköping.

1961

September: five J 29Bs arrive in the Congo as F 22 for the United Nations operation.

1971

21 June: the AJ 37 Viggen enters service; F 7 receives the first production aircraft in July.

1988

9 December: the JAS 39 Gripen makes its first flight. The first prototype is lost on landing on 2 February 1989.

1993

8 August: a Gripen crashes during a display at the Stockholm Water Festival; the pilot ejects.

1994

February: the neutrality policy commission reveals secret Cold War preparations to receive Western military help. On 9 May Sweden joins Partnership for Peace.

1997

1 November: the Gripen enters service with F 7 at Såtenäs. The Draken is retired in December 1999.

2005

25 November: the Viggen leaves front-line service.

2011

April: eight Gripens deploy to Sigonella for the NATO-led operation over Libya.

2013

17 January: 60 Gripen E are approved.

2024

7 March: Sweden joins NATO. 18 June: the Sk 60 trainer is retired after 57 years.

2025

March: six Gripens go to Poland for enhanced air policing. 20 October: the first Gripen E is handed over to F 7.

2026

1 July: the Air Force’s centenary. 9 September: FMV contracts Saab and GKN for future fighter demonstrators. A caretaker government takes over on 17 September after the election.

Gevechtsgeschiedenis

Every time the Swedish Air Force has gone into action

Uitvallen en verliezen waar de gegevens die vermelden, en een eerlijke blanco waar die ontbreken.

6conflicten
1940Eerst
3Vliegtuig verloren
8Gedood
  • The Swedish volunteer wing in the Winter War 1940 Fighter defence and dive-bombing for Finland against the Soviet Union, flown by Swedish volunteers in aircraft carrying Finnish markings
  • The Catalina affair 1952 A signals-intelligence flight and the search-and-rescue aircraft sent to find it were both shot down by Soviet fighters
  • The UN operation in the Congo 1961–1964 Ground attack and reconnaissance for the United Nations operation ONUC against the Katangese secession
  • Afghanistan (ISAF) 2013 Medical evacuation for the NATO-led ISAF coalition with UH-60M Black Hawks and, on occasion, Super Pumas
  • Libië: Operatie Unified Protector 2011 Enforcing the UN no-fly zone and flying tactical reconnaissance for the NATO-led operation; the Gripens did not attack ground targets

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Swedish Air Force news from Afterburner

Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the Swedish Air Force and the aircraft it flies. Deze lijst wordt automatisch vernieuwd — nieuwe Afterburner-verhalen verschijnen hier automatisch.

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Vragen en antwoorden

Everything people ask about the Swedish Air Force

What is the Swedish Air Force called in Swedish?
Flygvapnet — literally “the air weapon”. Swedish is the only official language, so there is no second official name; the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration and the Air Force Museum both use Flygvapnet, as in the centenary slogan “Flygvapnet 100 år”. It is one branch of Försvarsmakten, the Swedish Armed Forces.
When was the Swedish Air Force founded?
On 1 July 1926, when the aircraft units of the Army and the Navy were merged into an independent service. The Air Force celebrated its centenary on 1 July 2026, the day the Swedish Air Force Museum in Linköping opened its anniversary exhibition EFFEKT.
Which fighter jets does the Swedish Air Force fly?
Only the Saab JAS 39 Gripen. About 94 C/D models — 71 single-seat C and 23 two-seat D — fly with three wings, F 7 at Såtenäs, F 17 at Ronneby and F 21 at Luleå. The first of 60 new Gripen E fighters was handed over to F 7 on 20 October 2025, and two had been delivered by 2026.
How many Gripens does Sweden have?
About 94 Gripen C/D and two Gripen E, with 58 more E on order. Sweden ordered 204 Gripen A/B/C/D in three batches from the 1980s; 24 older A/B airframes are stored. Sixteen C/Ds were announced in May 2026 as a donation to Ukraine, which will reduce the total.
Who commands the Swedish Air Force?
Maj. Gen. Jonas Wikman, Chief of the Air Force (flygvapenchef) since 14 December 2022. He succeeded Maj. Gen. Carl-Johan Edström, flew the Saab 35 Draken with F 10 among its last pilots, and later commanded that wing.
Who is Sweden’s defence minister after the 2026 election?
Pål Jonson, for now. After the September 2026 general election the Speaker dismissed the Prime Minister and his ministers at the Prime Minister’s request on 17 September; they stay on as a caretaker government until a new one is formed. Government formation was still under way at the end of September 2026, so check the government’s website for the current holder.
Is Sweden in NATO?
Yes, since 7 March 2024, when Hungary deposited the last ratification. Sweden applied together with Finland on 18 May 2022, after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and had been a NATO partner since joining Partnership for Peace on 9 May 1994.
Was Sweden really neutral during the Cold War?
Officially yes, in practice less so. A government commission reported in 1994 (SOU 1994:11) that between 1949 and 1969 Sweden secretly prepared to receive Western military help: secure links to Danish, Norwegian and US Air Force networks, runways lengthened for heavy Western aircraft and NATO-compatible identification systems. Only a very small group in the military leadership knew the full picture.
Did Sweden have the fourth-largest air force in the world?
In 1957 Sweden’s air force is described as the world’s fourth most powerful, with about 1,000 modern aircraft in front-line service — J 29 Tunnans, Lansens, Jagers En Venoms. The ranking compares front-line aircraft strength rather than personnel or budgets.
What was the Catalina affair?
On 13 June 1952 Soviet fighters shot down a Swedish Air Force DC-3 on a signals-intelligence flight over the Baltic, killing all eight aboard; on 16 June they shot down a Catalina searching for it, whose seven crew were rescued. Moscow denied it until 1991. The DC-3 was found in 2003, raised in 2004 and has been on show at the Air Force Museum in Linköping since 2009.
Did Swedish pilots fight in the Winter War?
Yes. The volunteer wing F 19 flew for Finland from 10 January 1940 with twelve Gloster Gladiators and four Hawker Harts in Finnish markings. It claimed eight Soviet aircraft in the air and four on the ground and lost two Gladiators in air combat.
Has the Swedish Air Force been in combat?
Yes, though rarely. Volunteers of F 19 fought in Finland in 1940; J 29 Tunnans attacked Katangese forces for the United Nations in the Congo from 1961; and Gripens enforced the no-fly zone over Libya in 2011. Soviet fighters also shot down two Swedish aircraft over the Baltic in 1952.
What did the Swedish Air Force do in the Congo?
It sent J 29 Tunnan fighter-bombers as the wing F 22 to the UN operation ONUC: five from September 1961 and six more in 1962, including two reconnaissance aircraft. They attacked Katangese airfields and troops in 1961 and in Operation Grandslam in 1962–1963. None was lost in action.
What role did Sweden play in Libya in 2011?
Sweden sent eight JAS 39C Gripens (later five) to Sigonella in Sicily, with a Hercules tanker and a signals-intelligence jet, to help enforce the UN no-fly zone and fly reconnaissance. It was the only participant outside both NATO and the Arab League. The Gripens flew more than 650 missions but did not attack ground targets.
What were Bas 60 and Bas 90?
Swedish dispersal systems that planned to scatter squadrons of eight to twelve aircraft to wartime bases and road strips when war came. Bas 60 used road runways of 1,500–2,000 metres; Bas 90 added short strips of 800 metres suited to the Viggen and the Gripen. About 20 bases were upgraded to Bas 90 standard before the programme was halted in the mid-1990s.
Did Sweden keep aircraft inside mountains?
Yes, at some bases. The best known is the rock hangar at Säve, next to the F 9 wing at Gothenburg, completed in 1955 about 30 metres underground with 22,000 square metres of floor space. It is now the Aeroseum museum.
Why did the Gripen crash in Stockholm in 1993?
On 8 August 1993 a production Gripen crashed during a display at the Stockholm Water Festival; the pilot ejected. It followed the loss of the first prototype on landing at Linköping on 2 February 1989, attributed to pilot-induced oscillation, from which the test pilot also walked away. The two losses made the programme politically contested in its early years.
What happened to the Saab Viggen and Draken?
De J 35 Draken, in service from 1960, was retired in December 1999; the Viggen, from 1971, left front-line service on 25 November 2005, with electronic-warfare versions flying until 2007. The Gripen replaced the Viggen.
What is GlobalEye and when will Sweden get it?
GlobalEye (S 106) is Saab’s airborne early warning and control aircraft, developed from the ASC 890 radar system. Sweden ordered two on 30 June 2022 for 7.3 billion kronor and a third in June 2024 to replace the two ASC 890s it gave to Ukraine. Deliveries begin in 2027.
Is Sweden giving Gripens to Ukraine?
It has agreed to. Sweden and Ukraine signed a letter of intent on 22 October 2025 for 100 to 150 Gripens, and in May 2026 announced that Ukraine would buy 20 new Gripens and Sweden would donate 16 older C/D models. Sweden had already pledged its two ASC 890 early warning aircraft in May 2024. Delivery numbers and dates had not been published in the sources checked.
What will replace the Gripen?
No choice has been made. On 9 September 2026 FMV signed contracts worth about 2.9 billion kronor with Saab and about 390 million kronor with GKN Aerospace for studies and demonstrators, including two autonomous flying demonstrators, to 2028. The work is meant to inform decisions on Swedish combat air capability after 2040; Sweden has left the British-led GCAP programme.
Which helicopters does the Swedish Air Force operate?
The Helicopter Wing flies 18 NH90s (Hkp 14), 15 UH-60M Black Hawks (Hkp 16) and 20 AW109s (Hkp 15). The NH90 is to be withdrawn from 2027, and 12 more Black Hawks have been ordered.
Which trainer do Swedish pilots fly?
Basic training is on the Grob G 120TP, called the Sk 40, of which 13 were bought from 2021; advanced training moves to two-seat Gripen Ds. The Saab 105 (Sk 60), which trained Swedish pilots from 1967, was retired on 18 June 2024.
Where are the Swedish Air Force’s bases?
The fighter wings are F 7 at Såtenäs, F 17 at Ronneby and F 21 at Luleå; F 16 at Ärna near Uppsala was re-established on 14 October 2021 without fighters. The Helicopter Wing has squadrons at Luleå, Malmen and Ronneby.
How much does Sweden spend on defence?
The armed forces’ budget is 175 billion kronor in 2026, about 2.8 per cent of GDP, up from 143 billion kronor (2.4 per cent) in 2025. The Air Force’s share is not published separately in the sources checked.
Where can I see historic Swedish military aircraft?
The Swedish Air Force Museum (Flygvapenmuseum) at Malmen, Linköping, holds more than 300 aircraft and helicopters, about 50 on display, including the DC-3 shot down in 1952 and fighters from the Gladiator to the Viggen. The Aeroseum at Säve, Gothenburg, is housed in a Cold War rock hangar.
Did Sweden fly the Hunter, Vampire and Mustang?
Yes. Sweden bought 70 Vampier F.1s in 1946 and 310 FB.50s later, 120 Hawker Hunters as the J 34 from 1955, 62 Vergift night fighters as the J 33, and P-51D Mustangs as the J 26.

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Figures verified 2026-09-28. Order of Battle pages are regenerated from a single dataset; if a number here disagrees with a Book of Beasts page, this page is the more recent of the two.

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