SÅTENÄS AIR BASE - SWEDEN Gripen Martin Scharenborg and Ramon Wenink/Global Aviation Review Press visited Såtenäs Air Base, the cradle of Gripen flying and home of the Swedish HerculesN est fleet. The introduction of the Gripen into service shifted Sweden’s air force strategy from an attack and reconnaissance force to that of air defence. This JAS 39C is armed with two SAAB RBS-17F anti- ship missiles, two AIM-120 AMRAAMs and a pair of IRIS-T AAMs. All images via authors unless stated 52 OCTOBER 2016 #343 www.airforcesmonthly.com SÅTENÄS AIR BASE - SWEDEN HE REMOTE location of operational service at Såtenäs Såtenäs Air Base, close on June 9, 1996, but was phased Tto the Baltic and North out from 2012 when the JAS Seas, lends it considerable 39C/D became operational. strategic importance. Aircraft were first stationed at the base, Gripen Training which is in southern Sweden All new Gripen pilots receive alongside Lake Vänern, between transition training at Såtenäs. The Trollhättan and Lidköping, six-month programme includes shortly after the outbreak of theory lessons and 20 sorties in World War Two. These Caproni the station’s multi-mission trainers Ca 313S bombers suffered multiple and full mission simulators (FMS), shortcomings and, after several fatal before the first flight in a twin-stick JAS accidents, they were replaced from 1942 39D. After ten sorties in the back seat, the by Swedish-built Saab B17 bombers. student makes his or her first solo flight. From 1946, the Saab J21A replaced the In total, 55 sorties are flown, including B17 in the attack role, supplemented by the at least 45 live flying hours, before the Saab B18 from 1948. Såtenäs entered the pilot is assigned to one of the three jet age in the late 1950s with the Saab J21R, Swedish Air Force Gripen wings: F7 at which was replaced by the Saab J29 Tunnan Såtenäs, F17 at Ronneby and F21 at Luleå- in 1954; the Saab A32 Lansen ousted the Kallax. Graduates receive further combat Tunnan in 1956. The formidable Saab AJ37 readiness training (CRT) on their wing. Viggen appeared at Såtenäs in 1973, in Maj Patrik Svensson, commanding roles including attack and reconnaissance. officer of F7’s 2 ‘Ghost’ Squadron said: In 1996 the first Saab JAS 39 Gripen “Combat readiness training has three arrived for the two based squadrons stages. CRT1 is training within visual and the station’s strategic focus shifted range for offensive counter air defence, from attack and reconnaissance to air counter air and weapons handling. defence. The JAS 39A/B entered full CRT2 is the advanced air-to-air course, www.airforcesdaily.com #343 OCTOBER 2016 53 SÅTENÄS AIR BASE - SWEDEN “We’re very happy with the Gripen. In comparison to the Viggen it is very easy to maintain and built to be managed by just one or two technicians." including beyond visual range tactics, visual identification and a little low flying. CRT3 is all about air interdiction, close air support and reconnaissance. It’s quite intense!” International Training An international Gripen training centre was Above: Maj Patrik Svensson, CO of 2 ‘Ghost’ Squadron of F7 Wing at Såtenäs. He had previously fl own established at Såtenäs with the lease of Viggens and considers the lightweight Gripen better suited to the air interception role. JAS 39C/D aircraft to Hungary and the Czech Below: Groundcrews start their check procedures on a JAS 39D that has just returned from a DACT mission Republic. Its first student pilots arrived over southern Sweden. early in 2005. Technicians are trained at the Swedish Armed Forces Technical School in Halmstad and at F7. Students from a third country arrived in 2009, when the Thai Air Force bought six JAS 39C/D aircraft, followed by a second batch of six. On September 9, 2015, the Brazilian Government signed a US$4.68bn contract for 36 JAS 39E/Fs for delivery from 2019. The first Brazilian pilots and technicians arrived at Såtenäs early in 2015 for JAS 39C/D familiarisation. With basic and advanced Gripen training complete, foreign instructors train students in their own country. Part of this continued international training is a special tri-annual exercise named Lion Effort. As many Gripen operators as possible attend, sharing information and tactics, and improving interoperability. The most recent Lion Effort was held at Caslav, Czech Republic, in 2015 and the South African Air Force will host the next event in 2018. Back at Såtenäs, however, with the Slovak Air Force Gripen lease postponed or perhaps cancelled, few foreign students are 54 OCTOBER 2016 #343 www.airforcesmonthly.com SÅTENÄS AIR BASE - SWEDEN “We’re very happy with the Gripen. In comparison to the Viggen it is very easy to maintain and built to be managed by just one or two technicians." Above: Sweden’s only C-130H Hercules tanker 84007 serves with 71 Tactical Airlift Squadron and regularly provides IFR training for the JAS 39C Gripen pilots from F7 Wing. Below: Approximately 70 Sk60s remain in service with the Swedish Air Force. Here, Sk60E 60083, fl ies in close formation with a JAS 39C on a training fl ight. currently in training and the international effort is scaling down as a result. Until December 31, 2015 No. 2 Squadron was responsible for training Swedish Gripen pilots while 1 ‘Spider’ Squadron worked with the international students. But F7 ceased being a full educational wing on January 1, 2016 and 2 Squadron is now operational. The ‘Spider’ Squadron has taken over all basic Gripen conversion training for new pilots coming from the Luftstridsskolan (Flight School) at Linköping/Malmen and also trains the few remaining international students. Air-to-air gunnery and close air support are practised at least once a year at Vidsel in northern Sweden, while strafing is practised at Karlsborg and over the Baltic. Operational F7 Gripen pilots typically fly Sk60s to leave in 2017 around 80 hours per year, rising as high The Saab 105, or Sk60, entered Swedish At Såtenäs, F7 has around four Sk60s, as 100 hours when they are scheduled to Air Force service in three versions from primarily used for weather reconnaissance. participate in international exercises. 1967. The Sk60A was a two-seat liaison and Before the day’s fl ying begins, an Sk60 will Maj Svensson explained: “F17 and F21 training aircraft, the Sk60B a light attack perform a visual check in the airspace around pilots fly 120 hours annually. Since F7 platform and the Sk60C a reconnaissance and the base and in its manoeuvring areas. was an educational wing we only had light attack platform. “Although this sounds expensive, it’s more 80 hours’ stick time, because for the Later the Sk60D and Sk60E were developed, expensive to cancel fl ights because of poor rest you stayed in the back seat.” with provision for four fi xed seats to weather preparation,” said Maj Svensson. replace the standard pair of ejection seats, The Sk60’s also fl y regular liaison fl ights, Maintenance creating a four-seat liaison and transport transporting technicians or high-ranking “We’re very happy with the Gripen. aircraft. Around 70 Sk60s continue to personnel between bases. Sweden is looking Compared to the Viggen it is very easy to serve the Swedish Air Force, most of them for a more economical replacement for the maintain and built to be managed by just with the Luftstridsskolan (Flight School) Sk60 and has examined the Pilatus PC-21, one or two technicians. It’s therefore very at Linköping/Malmen. A few also fl y with Alenia Aermacchi M-346 and BAe Hawk. cost effective,” said Lt Col Niclas Berger, the Sambandsfl ygrupp (Station Flights) at Although a decision has yet to be made, the commander of the JAS 39 Air Maintenance Såtenäs, Ronneby and Luleå-Kallax. Sk60 will leave Såtenäs in 2017. Unit (AMU). The AMU comprises two www.airforcesdaily.com #343 OCTOBER 2016 55 SÅTENÄS AIR BASE - SWEDEN “Flying the Gripen is a new and beautiful experience. It ’s ver y easy to fl y and very agile." maintenance companies and a ground support equipment (GSE) company. “We fly 5,000 sorties a year here at Såtenäs, thanks to the Gripen’s excellent maintainability. With help of its built-in MGSS [Maintenance Ground Support System] we’re able to locate and isolate system faults. In the beginning we had lots of problems with it, but now it works brilliantly. After each flight it checks Above: All new Gripen pilots 3,500 points. In comparison with other, undergo their conversion older aircraft it’s like flying to the moon! training at Såtenäs which can take “Here in the AMU we’re able to do minor up to six months. modifications, turn-around checks, As well as ground school fault isolation/finding and repairs and lessons, they undertake 20 servicing up to 800 flying hours. Major sorties in one of the full mission simulators at the modifications, structural repairs and base before their fi rst fl ight servicing at 800 hours and above is in a twin-seat JAS 39D. done by FMV at Linköping/Malmen. “The Swedish Air Force operates 97 JAS 39C/Ds. It’s an excellent aircraft, but essentially a flying computer. As a Gripen maintainer you need to know a lot about computers and software, but 56 OCTOBER 2016 #343 www.airforcesmonthly.com SÅTENÄS AIR BASE - SWEDEN especially the software, since it will make the Gripen a highly capable aircraft for the next few decades. We currently run MS19 software, but in May 2016 we began updating the Såtenäs Gripens with MS20, or Edition 20 software.