As a neutral country, Sweden shaped its defense network independent of other nations’ philosophies. This fact was but one contributing factor to the Draken’s groundbreaking design.Īnother key aspect that dictated the Draken’s design was Sweden’s own unique defensive doctrine. When the bombers became faster and flew higher, it was clear that the firmly subsonic J-29 and J-32 fighters were not up to the task of effectively intercepting them, supersonic speeds were essential. However, both designs were thoroughly conventional and mirrored aircraft design philosophies of their day.īy contrast, the J-35 Draken was a fully new design which showed that Saab could more than match what their contemporaries were producing and were not at all afraid to innovate.įormer Austrian air force J-35OE Drakens preserved at Zeltweg, Austria in 2022.Īt the height of the Cold War, incursions into domestic airspace by Soviet bomber aircraft were as much a concern to Sweden as they were to other western countries in the northern hemisphere.

The J-29 and J-32 were well regarded in the aviation world and stood as testament that Saab were capable of designing jet fighter aircraft which could match the capabilities of designs produced by larger, better known names in aviation. The company’s first jet fighter designed as such from the ground up, the J-29 Tunnan, entered Swedish air force service in 1950 and was followed in 1956 by the J-32 Lansen. Before the 1940s were finished, the company had developed the J-21R jet fighter from its J-21 piston powered fighter. Saab was not unknown in jet fighter development prior to the J-35 Draken. Not only was the overall design a modern and unexpected departure from aircraft design norms of the period, the source of the aircraft was also something of a shock that a relatively small company on the aviation landscape from a politically neutral nation would present the world with an all weather fighter capable of speeds exeding twice the speed of sound was unexpected indeed. When Saab’s J-35 Draken (Dragon) entered Swedish air force service in 1960 after a rigorous design and development period, it caused a stir in the aviation world at large. SK-35C Draken of the Swedish Air Force Historic Flight seen at Zeltweg, Austria in 2022.

Draken plane