Saab J32 Lansen [Lance]

During the autumn of 1946 began KFF and SAAB began to discuss the next aircraft that would replace SAAB B 18 and SAAB T 18 (bomber and torpedo Plan), SAAB 21 (J 21 A and R) and the imported mosquito Plan J 30. They talked publicly about an attack plane instead of bomber or torpedo planes. The project was under Artur Brasjö at SAAB. At first the plan was Project 1119, to construct a plane with twin engines, but it would be too expensive and heavy. There were some other projects worked on at the same time and after some discussion back and forth, Saab submitted Project 1150. It was a smaller, rather conventional, two-seat aircraft that was finally chosen, with tailor-made properties for attack missions at the lowest altitude. The plane would have a range starting from a central base able to reach all parts of Sweden within an hour. Project P1150 later became the SAAB 32 Lansen.

Lansen became the first aircraft systems that were built in Sweden with sophisticated electronic systems and radar. The equipment also included radar altimeters at every moment showed the plane's exact height above terrain, which was necessary in view of the extremely low altitude planes could operate on. Attack missions at low altitude requires exact precision in navigation and therefore became SAAB 32 two-seat, the pilot and navigator. SAAB 32 was the first Swedish aircraft was planned according to the mathematical coordinate system instead of the usual aircraft drawings. It could be programmed to have a strength of up to 12g positive and 8g negative (1g = 1 times the force of gravity for a given weight, in this case the weight of the aircraft). Normal operation should be between + 8g and -3G.

While the planning and development of the Lansen was going, KFF's Robot agency had another project in the works. It was a new anti-ship missile that would be part of Lansen arsenal. Robot 4, or RB04, would become the world's first airborne robot designed to combat ships. Swedish defense was mainly focused on stopping the attack from the sea, namely the Baltic Sea. The tactic of a number of divisions of eight planes at the lowest level, all equipped with 2x RB04, was hoped to deter even a superpower with. A RB04 could sink even larger ships at the time.

In December 1948, Saab received orders on the detail design and a model in full scale. When tested lågfartsegenskaperna for J 29 barrel mounted to a pair pilvingar with the same sweeping, 25 degrees, on a SAAB sapphire. At the Lance would sweep the wings to be 39 degrees so the Safir was built again with new wings stuck with the lance 39 degrees Pilvinge. Now renamed to the old Safiren SAAB 202.

The tests were what they expected and the tour was what the man had already parallel with the tests of the SAAB 202 built four test aircraft SAAB 32 Lansen. Engine choice fell on the British Rolls Royce Avon Mk 21 that it received a license to manufacture in Sweden at the Powerplant in Trollhättan and was designated RM5. It was planned to use the Swedish-made engine Dovern (RM4) from steel, but it was not fully developed yet and could not wait for this without Flight Management decided to seek permission for licensed production of foreign engines. KFF also decided to phase out domestic aircraft engine manufacturing.

The first prototype of the Lance then flew November 3, 1952, but just barely a year later, on 25th October 1953 passed a prototype sound barrier, that is flying faster than sound. The pilot was again Bengt Olow and the Mach 1 was achieved after a weak diving. It was also the first time a Swedish aircraft achieved this speed.

The Air Force ordered and received its first deliveries of the A 32 Lansen in December 1955. The first flotilla was awarded the A 32 was F17 in Kallinge who got their T 18 replaced. A 32 minted in 1957, but then had another version of the Lance started to be built.

The same year that the first 32 A deuce came had begun a project on the development and construction of the night and allvädersjaktplan. The new plane was a further development of the A 32 and was designated J 32B. Main difference of J 32B was a more powerful engine, more powerful weapons and better avionics. Machine cannons were now 4 x 30 mm Aden m / 55 instead of the four 20 mm Hispanokanonerna that A 32 had, in addition, could be more modern rockets or missiles carried.

J 32B first flew on January 7th 1957. The more powerful engine was the same as the first Draken aircraft had a RM6. With the new engine, and an improved afterburner got J 32b significantly better performance than the older A 32 deuces. The nickname of the new type was Lance Sports. The Air Force received its first delivery of the J 32B in July in 1958.

Yet another version built new. S 32C reconnaissance version, was a variant of the A 32, but with cameras in the nose instead of machine guns. Total was built and delivered 450 SAAB 32 to the Air Force, had also been built four prototypes. Other variants of the Lance was J 32D which was awarded Målflygdivisionen F3 Malmslätt and J 32E which was equipped with electronic jamming equipment. The latter two variants was rebuilt J 32B, ie no new construction.

Next to the SAAB 105 (Sk 60), the Lansen was the plane has been in service for the longest time in Swedish defense. From 1955 to 1998, over 43 years, the old workhorse working on the different versions. In fact, it still flies about 32 J's in the Swedish air sea. There are 2 registered civil F7 in Såtenäs used to take air samples and also to radiation measurements at high altitude.