Video Saab AJS-37 Viggen thrust reverser landing and short take off

[The Dane]

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[guest0001]

Impressive!

 

[TIGREDELAIRE]

Amazing!

 

[muck]

Simply amazing. I'd also have you consider how old this plane is.

Am I wrong to assume it could land and start unassisted from an aircraft carrier?

By the way, is that a ram air turbine running? Does the Viggen need extra electricity for this kind of maneuver?

 

[Euroamerican]

So my understanding is that the Swedes want to have capability to launch and retrieve their fighters from unimproved airfields or roadways. Looks like a capability of STOL definitely was built into this aircraft!

 

[muck]

Indeed. Even today, you can spot the swaths of road that would function as makeshift runways in times of crisis. The concept was widespread in most European countries formerly at the forefront of the Cold War.

 

[Gaz]

Indeed. Even today, you can spot the swaths of road that would function as makeshift runways in times of crisis. The concept was widespread in most European countries formerly at the forefront of the Cold War.

On a sidenote, I posted this in the Czech thread a few days ago.

This isn't Czech, but rather Czechoslovakian but I didn't really know where else to put it.

1980 documentary about Czechoslovakian aircraft operating from highways during an exercise. I didn't understand a word that was being said but there's some cool footage.

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Found via www.theaviationist.com

 

[Picanha]

It has no arrestor hook so no carrier landings possible. Also it may lack the structural strength and re-inforced landing gear to do carrier landings. Though it has a double bogie landing gear but I assume it is designed like that for other reasons.

I only can see propellers spinning. I would think it is from some kind of pod attached to the left front side weapons mount.

 

[Gaz]

It's a RAT.

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[muck]

Certainly, but why is it running at that point in time, with the main engine going? I'd always believed those were only needed in the event of an emergency.

 

[Picanha]

Maybe they need extra electricity? The RAT is, especially with military aircraft, not only used in emergencies. But this is rare. That's why I thought it to be a pod they often produce energy with propellers for cooling purposes and the like. Think of jammers and sensors..

Edit: The Viggen deploys the RAT as a precautionary measure to be able to manoeuvre at low speeds during take off and landing in case of emergency.

 

[PEMM]

The older Swedish planes look like they came from Scifi-movies. Especially the shape of the wings in this viggen.

Indeed. Even today, you can spot the swaths of road that would function as makeshift runways in times of crisis. The concept was widespread in most European countries formerly at the forefront of the Cold War.

And is.

Here they also use the arresting cables:

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[muck]

What I've been struggling with is the idea those will remain useable for long, though. If you've ever been on a straight swatch of German Autobahn and the centre strip separating the lanes was covered with concrete instead of grass, you were driving across an emergency airstrip at that very moment. The point being, regardless of their ad hoc nature these airstrips require some preparations that should make them detectable to any enemy that's done his homework.

 

[PEMM]

What I've been struggling with is the idea those will remain useable for long, though. If you've ever been on a straight swatch of German Autobahn and the centre strip separating the lanes was covered with concrete instead of grass, you were driving across an emergency airstrip at that very moment. The point being, regardless of their ad hoc nature these airstrips require some preparations that should make them detectable to any enemy that's done his homework.

Locations are also public knowledge.

But in Finland they practically double the number of airstrips that would have to be bombed (some of these are even next to existing airfield and serve as additional runway). Also, as they would be manned, it would be difficult for the enemy to prioritize which should be bombed. Bombing would be very costly (and would they be able to bomb faster than they are being repaired?). They are just another piece in the chess.

EDIT: For curiosity, here is a design documentation: https://julkaisut.vayla.fi/pdf3/lo_2010-18_lentokoneiden_varalaskupaikat.pdf