JA37C

This page is about the Swedish jet fighter JA37C. For other versions, see SAAB 37 Viggen (Family).

JA37C

J35D

JA37D

JA37C

J35D

JA37D

Sweden

VII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
11.0	11.3	11.3

Class:

Fighter

Jet fighter

Research:350 000

Purchase:950 000

Description

The JA37C Jaktviggen is a rank VII Swedish jet fighter with a battle rating of 11.0 (AB) and 11.3 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Direct Hit".

General info

Flight performance

Air brakes

Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps

Max speed

at 11 000 m1 998 km/h

Turn time25 s

Max altitude14 500 m

EngineSvenska Flygmotor RM8B

Type

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight19 t

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 9,000 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	1,920	1,874	14500	26.1	26.4	169.2	158.8	900
Upgraded	2,061	1,997		23.9	25.0	232.9	199.6

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
X	X	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
1,536	620	N/A	N/A	400	~12	~4

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 865	< 700	< 520	N/A

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic mass			Wing loading (full fuel)
Svenska Flygmotor RM8B		1	12,315 kg			364 kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)					Max Takeoff Weight
Weight (each)	Type		15m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	45m fuel	50m fuel
2,350 kg	Afterburning low-bypass turbofan		13,641 kg	14,080 kg	14,963 kg	16,287 kg	16,735 kg	19,000 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
Condition	100%	WEP	15m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	45m fuel	50m fuel	MTOW
Stationary	6,585 kgf	11,025 kgf	0.81	0.78	0.74	0.68	0.66	0.58
Optimal	6,585 kgf (0 km/h)	15,990 kgf (1,250 km/h)	1.17	1.14	1.07	0.98	0.96	0.84

Survivability and armour

Flares/Chaff

Aircraft countermeasures to distract IR and radar-guided missiles and also AA radar

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear620 km/h

The JA37C, being primarily a fighter-interceptor, is not equipped with any armour plating. Fuel tanks comprise much of the fuselage and wing area, and a fire will usually mean death. The elevons on the wing handle both elevator pitch and roll, so losing even 1 will make the plane nearly uncontrollable. Avoid damage at all costs, as even a damaged non-critical component will likely cause drag, making flight performance worse. As with most top tier fighters, it becomes much more challenging to fly with even a slight amount of damage compared to lower tier planes.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB3 101 → 4 170

RB8 868 → 11 927

SB9 091 → 12 227

Total cost of modifications300 000

459 000

Talisman cost3 000

Crew training270 000

Experts950 000

Aces3 200

Research Aces1 210 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

120 / 320 / 600 %

244 / 244 / 244 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 370 New boosters Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 420 Compressor Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 420 Wings repair Research: 19 000 Cost: 29 000 470 Engine Research: 19 000 Cost: 29 000 470 G-suit Research: 32 000 Cost: 49 000 780	Airframe Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 420 Cover Research: 32 000 Cost: 49 000 780	akan_m75_belt_pack Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 370 RB24 Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 370 Flares/Chaff Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 370 m/70 Research: 17 000 Cost: 26 000 420 akan_m75_new_gun Research: 19 000 Cost: 29 000 470 RB24J Research: 19 000 Cost: 29 000 470 RB71 Research: 32 000 Cost: 49 000 780

Armaments

Ballistic Computer
CCIP (Guns)	CCIP (Rockets)	CCIP (Bombs)	CCRP (Bombs)

Offensive armament

The JA37C is armed with:

• A choice between two presets:
  • 1 x 30 mm Akan m/75 cannon, belly-mounted (150 rpg)
  • 1 x 30 mm Akan m/75 cannon (150 rpg) + 48 x countermeasures

Suspended armament

The JA37C can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 2 x RB24 missiles
• 6 x RB24 missiles
• 6 x RB24J missiles
• 2 x RB71 missiles
• 2 x RB71 missiles + 4 x RB24 missiles
• 2 x RB71 missiles + 4 x RB24J missiles
• 24 x psrak m/70 rockets
• 24 x psrak m/70 rockets + 2 x RB24 missiles
• 24 x psrak m/70 rockets + 2 x RB24J missiles
• 12 x psrak m/70 rockets + 2 x RB71 missiles + 2 x RB24 missiles
• 12 x psrak m/70 rockets + 2 x RB71 missiles + 2 x RB24J missiles

Usage in battles

The Viggen is a simple and effective plane to use in Realistic Battles (for the most part). You will notice on take-off she is a bit sluggish and won't accelerate very well, she is heavy, but once you're above 700km/h the thrust and aerodynamics help you accelerate better from here. The viggen performs better compared to most fighters at lower altitudes (3000m and below) for manoeuvrability and top speed and this is where you should stay. Taking advantage of your top speed, supersonic and transonic manoeuvrability and Doppler radar and Skyflash combo. Anything coming to you head on is in for a really bad time. You can be aggressive and hit the battle early and low level to take out any attackers using your doppler radar.

If you want to be more conservative you can hang with your team and go around the side. The Viggen is very hard to rip and getting some altitude and coming into the fight at a supersonic dive and maintain your speed trying to find targets for your Skylfash missle can be very effective. If in a head on the Skylfash can hit targets about 6km away at sea level if they don't change direction. It is usually very effective and hard to dodge the agile Skyflash if head to head launched at about 3km. The motor will still be burning and your missle will maintain energy to the target. A weakness of the Doppler radar is if a target starts to turn at a 90 degree angle it will no longer track (this is called beaming). The radar will lose lock and the missle will be unable to track if this happens, if you have enough time you can potential switch to the Aim-9J to try get a lock behind the target from here. Last resort is the gun, basically an Aden, it hits hard, but is hard to target with a slower velocity and placed underneath the fuselage. It is best to give a lot of lead and aim above the target (you have to use the force a little bit without tracers) usually within 300m it is most effective but can hit targets out to 600m if you can get the nose in the right position.

Though you are pretty manoeuvrable at all speeds it won't end well for you in any dogfight with sustained turns, you will just bleed too much energy and getting slow is the last place for a Viggen. You're heavy, slow to accelerate and a big target! Get fast, and stay fast. Make the most of the good radar and two Skyflash missles. 30min of fuel won't last long either with any Afterburner in this thing. There is not much difference taking 45/47 (full fuel) when all you plan to be is speed and not dogfighting anyway!

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Very fast at sea level, can accelerate up to Mach 1.21.
• Good energy retention if not max performing
• Great agility - Responsive elevons and a large rudder at high speeds
• Low stall-speed
• Strong firepower - 30 mm gun shreds everything it hits
• Agile RB71 missiles
• Good air-to-air payload - Up to 6 missile pylons
• Access to countermeasures
• Easy to land - Strong landing gear and access to reverse thrust
• Strong air-to-air radar with access to pulse doppler tracking

Cons:

• Very high fuel consumption
• Mediocre acceleration
• Weak air-brakes - Can slow done well pulling G
• Very Sluggish at lower speeds, poor stall control
• Low ammo count and lacks access to tracer munitions
• Unconventional flaps - Mostly useful during landings

History

Background

During the 1960s, advances in technology occurred rapidly alongside the aviation industry, paving the way for more complex and capable designs. In order to keep up with the rest of the industry, SAAB had to develop aircraft at a constant pace, often coming up with replacements before the predecessor had even entered service. The SAAB Viggen was sought to be the replacement for the A32A and was being considered as early as 1952. The decision of whether to make a fighter or attacker design continued for years. By the end of the '50s, project 1500 started to show potential, with a delta wing design capable of performing multiple roles through different versions. The wing design would allow for short-distance take-off and landings, following the BAS60 roadbase system requirements. These also included all-weather capability and full coverage of the 2,000 km Swedish coastline.

The 37-1 prototype took to the skies in February of 1967. The design still had to go through extensive modifying before the plane could reach the production line. The canards were angled, the wing adjusted, and the fuselage bent slightly. Much of the unorthodox appearance of the Viggen arrived from the extensive testing done on the first prototypes. When finalized, an order of AJ37 Viggens was handed over to F7 Skaraborg, becoming the first division utilizing the aircraft.

JA37

JA37 Prototype airborne, carrying Rb71 Skyflash missiles.

With the Viggen successfully replacing ageing attack and reconnaissance aircraft, the focus shifted towards the replacement of the J35 Draken. This required extensive modifying of the Viggen as a whole, as the requirements for an interceptor wouldn't be met with the powerplant and avionics used in the already existing variants. The project was extensive, redesigning most areas of the plane to fit these specifications. SAAB had to fit an internal gun, an air-to-air radar, and a new flight computer which allowed a real-time data-feed between ground stations and flight groups. One of the more complicated adjustments was the powerplant, where the engineers had to install an additional fan stage. This helped counteract the compressor stall the RM8 engine often experienced at high angles of attack, allowing the JA37 to dogfight more comfortably. These modifications were expensive, exceeding the set budget several times. But SAAB pressed on with the design until the version was fully developed.

The first completed JA37 flew on November 4th, 1977. The first service variants were delivered to F13 Bråvalla in June of 1980, while F17 Blekinge and F21 Luleå received theirs in 1981 and 1982 respectively. The JA37 would go on to be the most produced variant of the Viggen, with 147 aircraft delivered between eight different divisions. The JA37 was highly appreciated by those who flew it, and saw many modifications that extended its lifespan.

JA37C

As the 80s came to an end, the Viggen platform began to require an overhaul to bring the capabilities closer to that of other countries. The Gripen project was still years away from being completed, so an upgrade program began that would involve all JA37 in continued service being upgraded to the JA37C standard. This package introduced countermeasures, and a new signal processor, allowing the radar to track more efficiently against enemy jamming. The radar could now follow multiple targets simultaneously and also display virtual targets to enhance pilot training. This variant of the JA37 would see use up until the end of the decade, still being a capable platform for its time.

Devblog

The requirements for a new aircraft with very high performance to replace the SAAB 35 Draken emerged in the early 1960s. In 1962, the design team of the SAAB company prepared a draft design of the SAAB 37 aircraft, built according to an exotic double delta wing. The project seemed interesting for military authorities , and SAAB received funding to fully develop a new fighter in four basic configurations. The last and most advanced version was the SAAB JA37 Jaktviggen fighter-interceptor, the development of which continued until the mid-1970s, which was associated with the improvement of the engine and the development of modern electronic equipment. The first flight of the experimental JA37 interceptor fighter took place in June 1974, and in 1979 the fighter began to be supplied for service. Until 1990, 149 JA37 Jaktviggen units were produced. The specific appearance made the aircraft of the J37 family a "calling card" of the Royal Swedish Air Force for a long time.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the JA37C from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

The Shooting Range #271 - Metal Beasts section at 01:07 discusses the JA37C.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

• [Devblog] Perfect interceptor JA37C Jaktviggen and Premium J35A Draken
• Official data sheet - more details about the performance

Swedish Aeroplane Company Ltd. (SAAB)
	Pre-SAAB: SA / ASJA
SA 'Jaktfalken'	J6B
SAAB 17	B17A · B17B · S17BS
SAAB 18	B18A · B18B · T18B · T18B (57)
SAAB 21	J21A-1 · J21A-2 · A21A-3 · J21RA · A21RB
SAAB 29 'Tunnan'	J29A · A29B · J29D · J29F
SAAB 32 'Lansen'	J32B · A32A · A32A Röd Adam
SAAB 35 'Draken'	J35A · J35D
SAAB 37 'Viggen'	JA37C · JA37D · JA37DI · JA37DI F21 · AJ37 · AJS37
SAAB 39 'Gripen'	JAS39A · JAS39C
SAAB 105	SK60B · SAAB-105G
License Production	B3C (Ju 86K)
Export	SAAB-105OE · J35XS · ▄JAS39C · ◔JAS39EBS HU C

Sweden jet aircraft
Fighters	J21RA
	J29A · A29B · J29D · J29F
	J32B
	J34
	J35A · J35D
	JA37C · JA37D · JA37DI · JA37DI F21
	JAS39A · JAS39C
Strike aircraft	A21RB
	A32A · A32A Röd Adam
	A28B
	AJ37 · AJS37
	SK60B · SAAB-105G
Export	SAAB-105OE
Finland	▄Vampire FB 52A · ▄MiG-21bis · Saab J35XS