The Saab 37 Viggen Fighter Was Built for a War with Russia in the Sky

Summary: The Saab 37 Viggen, named after the Norse god Thor's "Thunderbolt," was Sweden's Cold War response to the Soviet Union's expanding fighter fleet.

Initially conceptualized in the 1950s to replace the Saab 32 Lansen and Saab 35 Draken, the Viggen was developed under a unique Swedish defense strategy using the Bas-60 system, allowing for dispersal across numerous small bases.

This fighter featured innovative STOL capabilities, advanced avionics without a human navigator, and...