SK60B

SK60B

T18B (57)

SAAB-105G

SK60B

T18B (57)

SAAB-105G

Sweden

V Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
7.3	7.0	7.3

Class:

Strike aircraft

Research:95 000

Purchase:270 000

Description

The SK60B is a rank V Swedish jet attacker with a battle rating of 7.3 (AB/SB) and 7.0 (RB). It was introduced in Update "New Power".

The SK60B, better known as the Saab 105, is a light training vehicle designed for the Swedish army. The vehicle is incredibly light and nimble, and was used for ground attack missions, thanks to its versatile arsenal of suspended armaments.

General info

Flight performance

Being a trainer aircraft by nature, the SK60B is very forgiving in aerodynamics. The plane performs ideally at most speeds, and has a stall speed below 200 km/h, allowing for advanced manoeuvring without risking the pilot's life. The rudder and elevators respond quickly, and deflect even at speeds the airframe itself can't sustain. The ailerons are also powerful, allowing the SK60B to smoothly roll in engagements, which along with the other control surfaces, makes it superior in dogfights.

The flight performance isn't perfect, as the SK60B has obvious downsides from its trainer background. The SK60B is incredibly slow. The plane struggles to break above 700 km/h at most, and will slowly decrease in speed as the fight goes on, as manoeuvres bring it back down. The SK60B has no real way to gain this speed back either, as the acceleration is sluggish. Although nothing out of the ordinary for early jets, the SK60B doesn't have the top speed to back this up compared to its peers, meaning that most low-altitude dogfights will result in the Saab being the "sitting duck" most of the time. Taking suspended armaments (which is a must) doesn't support the overall engine performance. Even taking the Akan m/55 gunpods, which are considered aerodynamic, lowers the rate-of-climb significantly, putting it below 20 m/s. Thankfully, the SK60B is classed as an attacker, giving it an altitude spawn of around 1,000 metres. A smart pilot takes the altitude advantage, as it compensates for the lack of power the SK60B suffers from.

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 6,000 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	760	741	10668	25.0	25.4	17.7	16.7	850
Upgraded	824	792		23.6	24.0	26.8	22.0

Details

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

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
934	400	N/A	400	350	~11	~6

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 650	< 650	< 580	N/A

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic Mass			Wing loading (full fuel)
Turbomeca RM9B		2	2,262 kg			204 kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)					Max Takeoff Weight
Weight (each)	Type		29m fuel	30m fuel	45m fuel	60m fuel	98m fuel
298 kg	Low-bypass turbofan		2,577 kg	2,588 kg	2,751 kg	2,914 kg	3,327 kg	5,606 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (102%)
Condition	100%	102%	29m fuel	30m fuel	45m fuel	60m fuel	98m fuel	MTOW
Stationary	720 kgf	763 kgf	0.59	0.59	0.55	0.52	0.46	0.27
Optimal	720 kgf (0 km/h)	763 kgf (0 km/h)	0.59	0.59	0.55	0.52	0.46	0.27

Survivability and armour

The SK60B is lightweight, and thus forgoes any sort of armour protection to save weight. This decision is logical, as the SK60B was originally designed with only training purposes in mind. This can be experienced in-game, especially in the lack of cockpit protection, as the pilot and navigator will take turns getting killed in frontal attacks. It is thus never recommended to fully commit in a head-on engagement, as even if a pilot survives, the SK60B will become critically damaged, most likely causing it to crash. Even if the SK60B survives, the flight performance is heavily crippled, making the plane even slower than it already was.

Although weak, the SK60B has a few design tricks making its survivability advantageous, one of which is the engine layout. Since the SK60B is a twin-engine design, getting hit in one of these engines isn't considered fatal. The SK60B flies considerably well even using a single engine, making it back to base without any issue. Thanks to engines being slightly external, engine fires don't wound the overall fuselage as much as a single engine mount would. This makes putting out fires a bit easier, as the SK60B can just dive down to the deck with the engines shut off to extinguish it most of the time. The wings are also a strength of the SK60B. Although prone to breaking as the structure isn't particularly strong, the good aerodynamics allow the SK60B to fly despite missing a wing. The plane can also be easily landed after this, as the low stall speed, and robust fuselage, allow for effective emergency landings.

Armaments

Suspended armament

The SK60B can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• 2 x 30 mm Akan m/55 cannons (150 rpg = 300 total)

The standard armament found on the SK60B are two powerful Akan m/55 gunpods. These cannons are identical to platforms like the J35D, giving the SK60B a formidable burst-mass of 12.15 kg/s! These guns are incredibly reliable and fast in velocity, as they're replicas of the ADEN platform. This is one of the main advantages of the SK60B outside of manoeuvrability. Since the SK60B isn't particularly swift, having armament capable of reaching most opponents is a welcome addition. This can catch many people off-guard, and thus it's recommended to practice aiming these guns, along with finding a comfortable convergence setting for maximum efficiency.

These gunpods are also good against ground-based targets, especially in Air Realistic battles, where light pillboxes are common. The Akan m/55 is capable of destroying these in a short burst, allowing for some effective ticket bleed when there are no enemy fighters around. They can also be used in Ground Realistic to a certain extent, as they disintegrate any open-top vehicle. They also aid in air-support, as most fighters at this BR are propeller powered, unable to defend themselves against high-velocity 30 mm revolver cannons.

• 2 x Rb05A missiles

The SK60B features a lot of unique armament compared to most other Swedish vehicles. One of the most unique of which are two Rb05A Air-to-Ground missiles. Similar to the American AGM-12B Bullpup in design and explosive mass, the SK60B goes one step further by featuring a proximity-fuse inside the missile. This makes the Rb05 incredibly unique for its class, as it is the only missile, outside of helicopters, capable of effectively dealing with both aerial and grounded opponents. Since the missile is intended for distanced ground-attacks, the Rb05 features a range of over 8 km, making it useful against long-range bombers such as the B-29. In Ground battles the missile is even more useful, as the explosive mass of 48 kg allows for reliable kills against ground units without putting the SK60B in front of radar SPAA. And since the Rb05 can be used against aerial opponents, the SK60B can easily deal with helicopters without going back to base.

• 6 x psrak m/49A rockets
• 12 x m/56D rockets

For players more interested in unguided air-support, the SK60B doesn't disappoint! The SK60B features 12 m/56D rockets also found on the J35D. Thanks to the superior aerodynamics of the SK60B, along with a lower battle-rating, the m/56 rockets get a lot more use than on the Draken. The velocity is immense, reaching 650m/s, allowing for accurate and distanced engagements. The m/56D carriers less explosives than the earlier m/49A, but compensates for this by still featuring the same penetration values. This makes the m/56 overall better than the earlier m/49A, as the higher velocity makes engagements a lot easier.

It is important to remember that the SK60B is incredibly vulnerable to SPAA when using the m/56D, as they require the SK60B to position itself close to the battlefield. And since the SK60B is one of the slowest jet-powered aircraft in the game, even machine-gun fire can prove lethal if the plane is flown carelessly. Sticking low to the ground and carefully observing opponents is a must if a pilot wants to make every rocket count.

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage repair				M/49/56
II		Compressor	Airframe	Offensive 30 mm	m/57d
III	Wings repair	Engine			Rb05A
IV	G-suit		Cover	New 30 mm cannons

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Incredible manoeuvrability - Responds quickly to inputs and turns better than most opponents
• Devastating firepower - Access to ADEN gunpods and AGM missiles at a low battle-rating
• Access to attacker spawn
• Long endurance - High fuel and ammo count makes returning to base less frequent
• Decent survivability - It has 2 pilots, can fly without a wing, or without one of the engines
• Easy to land - Low stall speed and strong landing gear aids in critical touchdowns

Cons:

• Slow top-speed - Unable to catch most opponents it faces
• Weak engines - Loses speed in vertical manoeuvres
• Lack of cockpit protection - Pilot knockout incredibly common in head-on engagements
• Slow acceleration
• Zero integral offensive armament, requiring gun pods

History

Background

Unlike most aircraft orders from the Swedish Air-Force, the Sk60 has an unusual background compared to its peers. The aircraft initially started as a commercial project under the name 220, led by none other than Eric Bratt, one of the main engineers behind the J35D. The aircraft was supposed to serve as a private airliner, sporting two engines, and a delta-wing design. But in the autumn of 1958, the Swedish Air-Force was looking for a successor to replace the ageing Sk28C Vampire. This led Bratt and his team to rework the design of project 220, switching the delta-wing design for a conventional straight-wing one. When the Air-Force later specified that this trainer had to carry external ordinance in the form of gun pods, rockets, and bombs, the wing was moved to an upper position. A result of this radical change forced a complete reconstruction of the elevator, mounting it higher than before. Along with some tweaking of the cockpit design, the project received the official name Saab 105.

Second Saab 105 prototype mid-flight

The first test flight was conducted in July of 1963, piloted by Karl-Erik Fernberg. The second prototype flew a year later, in June 1964. After some extensive modifying of the air-intakes and wing-structure, the plane was deemed worthy of production. However, during this period the design was going through extensive changes in terms of propulsion, as the french Turbomèca-Aubisque engines (RM9) lacked the required strength. This problem would delay the program another year, but would increase the overall engine thrust. The third prototype was deemed worthy of service by December of 1965. And by April 1966, the Sk60A would enter service with F5 Air-Division stationed at Ljungbyhed. Disappointingly, the french engines showed a lack of reliability and required a lot of modifying. This issue was however solved by SAAB during the second batch. The deliveries were finalized by 1968.

Sk60B

The Sk60B was the second modification of the Saab 105. This version, just like the Sk60C, was directly modified from already existing Sk60A's. The Sk60B featured a gunsight, along with the capability of carrying external ordinance in the form of bombs and rockets. The Sk60C went through identical modifications but featured an elongated nose-cone housing a panoramic camera for additional reconnaissance capabilities. Although the early Sk60 only sported a carrying capacity of around 700 kg, the external ordinance allowed for diverse options depending on the mission, capable of dealing with lightly, and heavily armoured targets.

Light attack purposes

The Sk60B and Sk60C would see extensive use outside the primary training purpose, as on the 29th of May, 1972, the Swedish government decided a reorganization of the Air-Force's attacker divisions. This forced four attack divisions to be converted into four light-attack divisions, making use of the lightweight Sk60B and Sk60C. These would be stationed accordingly at F21, F5, F3, and F16 fighter wing. The Sk60 was light and slow compared to the Viggen platform. The plane operated inland, as the strike capacity wasn't enough for naval operations, aside from small patrol boats and landing crafts. One major advantage of the Sk60 however, was the small profile and good aerodynamic properties, allowing for precise strike operations. This was already realized long before 1972, as F21 Luleå, an air division located alongside infantry and armoured divisions, saw potential in the Sk60 for close air support as early as 1969. This attacker mentality was put into action on all divisions between 1974 and 1976 and would see extensive use throughout the decade. Although the Sk60B was more of a last-ditch vehicle for air support, the plane proved lethal when put against armoured targets and helicopters, as it could remain fairly hidden by flying low against the ground. This strategy was necessary to avoid incoming fire, as the Sk60 featured no countermeasures or modern avionics. But as a result of the twin-seat design, low altitude flying became a lot safer. The pilot could focus entirely on flying as the second seat was occupied by a navigator giving directions. Though a lack of avionics was a major as the Sk60B required full eye-contact with the target to engage it. This limited the plane to only operate during clear weather, and along with a limited range, made the plane less ideal for wartime conditions.

Present day

The light attack divisions were already getting disbanded by the early 80s, and the light-attack educational program, along with the remaining light-attack divisions, were entirely disbanded by 1998. Although it's easy to determine this as the end for the Sk60, the plane was still a fantastic trainer. The Sk60 went through a major engine overhaul in 1992, doubling its carrying capacity thanks to a much stronger engine. This fixed a lot of reliability issues, and thanks to modern avionics, the Sk60 featured ballistic computers and navigational systems. The Sk60 was projected to be withdrawn from service several times, but thanks to its reliability and flight performance, the Sk60 remains in active use with both the Swedish and Austrian air force, more than 55 years after its introduction. By some estimates, the Sk60 will remain in the Swedish Air-Force until 2030, making the Sk60 older than its numerical designation.

Devblog

In 1959, Saab began development of a new twin-engine jet aircraft, intended to serve a wide variety of different roles both in civilian and military use. This led to questions being raised regarding the powerplant choice for the new aircraft, causing delays in development. However, once the decision was made to develop the new aircraft solely for military purposes, the project substantially picked up in momentum.

By 1961, Saab's efforts were endorsed by the Swedish Air Force, which sponsored the development of the aircraft, by then known as the Saab 105, and ordered the production of a prototype in trainer configuration for testing. The prototype took to the skies for its maiden flight in June 1963 and quickly demonstrated excellent handling characteristics. In 1964, the Swedish Air Force placed an initial order for 130 Saab 105's, with that order being raised to 150 machines soon after. The machine received the designation Sk 60 in Swedish service.

During production, the Swedish Air Force drew conclusions from the experiences made by the U.S. forces during the Vietnam War and decided to convert the Saab 105 trainer into a light attack and reconnaissance aircraft. This undertaking proved to be successful, with 60 machines of the trainer version being converted for ground attack missions.

Apart from the Swedish Air Force, Austria also ordered a modified multirole version of the Saab 105 for its air force. Both air forces still employ the Saab 105 to the present day and around 190 units of the type were built in total.

Media

Images

Videos

JUST AWESOME! SK60B! - Sweden - Jengar

See also

Similar aircraft in terms of performance and BR

• A2D-1
• F-84G
• Sea Hawk FGA.6
• G.91 R/3

Similar Swedish Aircraft

• J35D
• A21RB
• T18B-1
• J21RA

External links

• [Devblog] Saab Sk 60B: Instructed to Destroy

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