SAAB J 35J: The last flight of the Dragons

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SAAB J35J: The last flight of the Dragons
saab_j35j
Image: Two J35J’s from F 10 (Skånska flygflottiljen) equipped with both RB 24’s and RB 27’s (Please Gaijin add the AIM-4/RB 28 & AIM-26/RB 27 Falcons to the game.)

Summarized Background History:
The SAAB J35J (Johan), is the last and final variant of the SAAB 35: Draken jet aircraft. Which the Swedish Air Force used during the late 1980’s up till 1999. The Saab J35J is a upgraded and modernized version of the J35F (Filip), specifically the J35F2 variants: Which for its purpose was to extend it’s service time in the Swedish Air force.

During the early 1980’s, the Swedish goverment along with the Swedish Airforce and other parts of the goverment: Planned to have the Saab 35 Draken phased out of service by start of 1983 (with the introduction of the JA37 Viggen). However, due to delayed deliveries and the eventual delays of what would be the plans for the upcoming for JAS39 Gripen. That meant the Swedish Goverment and the Airforce had to find a intermediary solution until the issues has been properly adressed:

Which came around 1982, as it became apparent that the weapon systems used on the J35F: Could be significantly improved at a reasonable cost and adapted to the changing threat landscape during 1970’s and early 1980’s, where the targets were mainly assumed to be attack wings consisting of Su-24’s, Su-25’s, Su-17’s etc. And aircrafts for the purpose of transporting paratroopers such as the An-12’s that would operate at a lower altitude.

Following the same year, the FMV (Försvarets Materielverk) were assigned with the task by the Chief of the Swedish Air Force: To conduct a examination on storaged J35F2’s if they were in good condition to be upgraded, modernized and what workarounds which had to be made: In order to extend the Saab 35 Draken’s service-life within the Swedish Airforce.

Following is per verbatim from “J35J Draken  Notis 2”: “CFV’s (CFV: Cheif of the Swedish Airforce) prioritization of measures was primarily within the weapons system. This included performance-enhancing upgrades to the radar and sight, new pylon positions for the RB24J, new cooling for the IR sensor, 120 rounds for the AKAN, new IFF equipment, and several external fuel tanks. In other systems, flight safety required a new FLI platform, SSR transponder, new air data sensor, new backup instruments, altitude warning system, etc.”

And on 1984, the inquiry was completed and FMV (With the approval of the Commander in Cheif of the Swedish Armed Forces): Requested funding from the Government for preparation of upgrading 54 J35F2’s for a cost of 286 Million SEK. A additional 12 J35F2’s were also ordered to be upgraded in 1986. Making the total of 66 J35F2 that would eventually be redesignated as J35J (Johan). The Inquiry for the expansion for another JA37 Wing would be scrapped because of the Modernization of the J35J’s.

The reason as to why it was designated as J35J and not G: Is to the letter “J”, is the tenth letter of the alphabet, that was naturally chosen to symbolize the aircrafts belonging to the F10 Wing (F 10 Ängelholm) where all J35J (Johans) were to be based throughout it’s service time.

The J35J aircraft (as mentioned in the verbattim above), was now upgraded with more modernized electronics and improvements for the 30mm Akan m/55 cannon to name a few upgrades the aircraft received. However, the more important upgrades which the SAAB J35J received (terms of ingame improvements): Was the increased fuel capacity and the installation of new hardpoints under the intakes for mounting two additional AIM-9/RB 24 Sidewinder missiles: Improving the aircraft terms of Air to Air engagements.

The now upgraded SAAB J35J’s would continue to serve the Swedish Air force in F 10 (Skånska flygflottiljen) for 12 years: Spanning between 1987 and taking it’s final flight in 1999. In which the last SAAB J35’s was taken out of service: Marking the end of it’s 39 year long service time in the Swedish Air Force.

Specifications:

J 35J
Weight (Empty Weight): ~8200 Kilograms
Max Weight (Air to Air): ~12700 kg Kilograms
Max Weight (Air to Ground): ~12300 kg Kilograms
Length: 15,34 meters
Width: 9,42 meters
Height: 2,98 meters
Crew: 1 crew member
Climb rate: 177 ~ 200 meter/sec
Max Speed: Mach 2.0~2.3
Service ceiling (Max height): 20000~ meters
Engine: 1 x Svenska Flygmotor RM 6C
Thrust (Dry): 56.5 kN
Thrust (With Afterburner): 78.4 kN
Max Range: 2.750 km
Armament (Offensive): 1 x 30mm Akan m/55 (ADEN cannon)
Armament (Air to Air): RB 24B/J (Sidewinders), RB 27 (AIM-26 Falcon), RB 28 (AIM-4 Falcon)
Armament (Air to Ground): 12 × 135 mm sprängraket m/56 or 2 × raketkapsel m/57
Ammunition Capacity: Offensive Armament (30mm Akan m/55): 120 rounds
Number in Service: 66

Sources:

9 Likes

Don’t see why not +1

2 Likes

There is no enough Drakens +1. Still wonder why Swedes didn’t include flare dispensers on this guy, given the time of service

6 Likes

+1
Really needed this ages ago and more so now

Im also getting hopefully the Del 3 manual for the aircraft to make sure its accurate

Thanks mate, feel free to share your findings if there is something which I might need to adjust on my suggestion. On another note: Since the RB 27’s (AIM-26B’s) has not been added to the existing J35XS, I’ll likely make a seperate suggestion for it in order to have it implemented by the devs in the future hopefully. (Which also includes for the J35J and J35F if they ever get added to the game as well)

I have plenty on the J35F that can be applied but its the 60s version of the F therefore its missing both Hawee upgrades and minor changes throughout the 70s and early 80s
I also have J35J Del 1 but thats not amazingly useful for the game

As for falcons the Del 3 manual covers them in more detail than on other documents but nothing specification wise
I also made a bug report during the dev server to have the falcon added to the XS and keep asking gaijin people, mostly smin, if theres any updates but they seem pretty set on hating the J35XS for some reason, it doesnt even have the finnish missiles on the finnish plane

1 Like

No countermeasures, correct?

Besides maybe a jammer pod or two, nope

With how Gaijin seems to be willy-nilly adding CM pods (namely bolt-on systems or pylon-mounted systems) to aircraft that never had them in service, I would not be surprised if Gaijin just decides to add the two tailcone dispensers to it.

Does the “sight upgrade” include adding a full-on Head-Up Display, or is it still just a regular LCOSS gunsight?

still the regular sight im pretty sure
they didnt upgrade something that wasnt game changing really and this was just ergonomic and expensive

2 Likes

Damn, so it seems like the F-35 WDNS is the only Draken variant that had a digital HUD…

Pretty much, there is more information regarding the J35J here if you’re interested reading it further which was also recently released (link also on the suggestion itself): https://www.aef.se/Avionik/PDF-filer/System_J35_krigsfunktion_med_STRIL.pdf

1 Like

I think ive read the entirety of AEF lol
at least in terms of draken and viggen
Very handy but isnt always a primary source and has on occasion been wrong but thats bc the robotmuseum has also been wrong on occasion and thats usually why
Still a very nice way to find loads of info

2 Likes

I wonder why no one has bring this up yet, but the J35J was actually in-game during “Apex Predators” dev server, it was supposed to be a premium but then got replaced by the J35XS instead. It would be very easy for Gaijin to add it since they already have (what looks like) a finished model of the J35J. Even they already make additional unlockable camo for it.

Videos on YT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_SPHWPasoU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPO9O8AagbQ

Unlockable camo

from Gszabi99’s unused assets repository


3 Likes

Seriously…? I better hope they’re going to add it as a standard TT vehicle in the next update hopefully: folded underneath the J35D. Because Sweden needs more TT vehicles, not more premium/event vehicles.