How Saab’s Viggen Fighter Almost Took Down The Legendary SR-71 Blackbird

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Among the legends of aviation and military, the SR-71 Blackbird remains a true icon of the skies, developed in utter secrecy and carrying out truly incredible missions. Capable of hitting an insane top speed of over 3 times the speed of sound, the SR-71 is still the fastest manned jet aircraft over 50 years since it took to the skies. That speed was a necessary part of its mission as a spy plane that no one could hope to bring down. Even with interceptors like the MIG-25 coming close, any attempts at attacking an SR-71 were futile.

With its incredible capabilities, the SR-71 spied on the Soviet Union for decades, without any adversaries posing a credible threat to it. But, while the Soviets had some impressive aircraft, they still couldn’t pose a threat to it. Another set of aviators did, however, becoming the closest people in history to shooting down an SR-71, even achieving missile lock and visual contact with the elusive spy plane. Those pilots belonged to the Swedish Air Force, flying the mighty Saab Viggen fighter, and their relationship with the SR-71 was far more intimate than any other adversary it faced.

But how exactly did a fighter jet from a neutral country get so close to taking down the King of Speed?

Built to carry out rapid surveillance anywhere in the world, the SR-71’s mission revolved around flying pre-determined high altitude flight paths towards strategic targets. One such flight path Blackbirds used during the ’80s was known as the “Baltic Express,” demanding the plane fly through a small gap of international airspace directly beside Swedish controlled airspace, and continue onward to Soviet targets. Following this path consistently, SR-71s would enter a specific way-point near Copenhagen, triggering Swedish air defense radar, and subsequent launch of interceptors.

The SR-71 began running missions in the ’60s, where it was by far the pinnacle of stealth technology, with most radars being unable to catch even a glimpse of it. But, come the ’80s, new and advanced ground-based radar systems were in use and were capable enough to spot an SR-71. Physically intercepting, or gaining missile lock on an SR-71 was another challenge though, with attempts by the Swedish Air Force occurring on a weekly basis – though mostly as an act of futility thanks to the unbeatable speed and altitude of the SR-71.

But, in 1981, the already incredibly capable Saab Viggen received new highly advanced weapons targeting and radar systems, allowing greater tracking, and missile lock capabilities than ever before.

RELATED: Eyes In The Sky: 15 Secretive Spy Planes That Changed The Course Of War

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By: Aaron Young
Title: How Saab’s Viggen Fighter Almost Took Down The Legendary SR-71 Blackbird
Sourced From: www.hotcars.com/how-saabs-viggen-fighter-almost-took-down-legendary-sr-71-blackbird/
Published Date: Wed, 26 Aug 2020 15:45:54 GMT

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