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The Saab J37 made history: During its nearly twenty-five years in service, the Lockheed SR-71 “Blackbird” set numerous speed records, and on July 28, 1976, the aircraft reached an amazing 2,193.167 miles per hour (3,529.56 km/h). Flying at roughly 36.55 miles per minute or 3,216.4 feet per second, it was faster than a bullet fired from the World War II-era M1 Garand rifle – which had a muzzle velocity of 2,800 feet per second.

The SR-71 earned a reputation that no aircraft could catch it, and that it could even outrun missiles. While a dozen were lost due to accidents, no Blackbird was ever shot down by the enemy. In fact, only one aircraft even has the distinction of achieving a radar lock on the fast-flying United States Air Force reconnaissance plane.

It wasn’t a Soviet interceptor such as the MiG-25 however, but rather the Swedish-made Saab J37 Viggen fighter that successfully achieved a missile lock and visual contact with the speedy spy plane.

 The Saab J37 and The Baltic Express

During the 1980s, the SR-71’s mission involved pre-determined high altitude flight paths towards strategic targets, and among these was the “Baltic Express,” which required the aircraft to fly through a small gap of international airspace near Sweden. When the SR-71 began its missions in the 1960s, it was at the pinnacle of stealth technology, and few radar systems could hope to track the aircraft. By the 1980s, however, new and more advanced ground-based systems were able to spot the aircraft.

Such was the case on Baltic Express. As the SR-71 entered a specific way-point near Copenhagen, it would trigger Swedish air defense radar. Stockholm maintained a strict policy of neutrality during the Cold War, yet expected that if an invasion were to come it would be from the Soviet Union. However, the Swedish government couldn’t be seen allowing U.S. spy planes to enter its airspace, and hence there was the expected exercise that included the launch of interceptor aircraft.

Sweden conducted hundreds of Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) missions per year to intercept any unidentified aircraft approaching its airspace. The QRA targets came from both Warsaw Pact and NATO nations, and usually were just flying close to Swedish airspace over the Baltic Sea or the Gulf of Bothnia. When the SR-71 began its Baltic Express flights, the Saab J35F Draken was deployed to intercept the fast-flying reconnaissance aircraft, but it wasn’t up to the task.

The United States Air Force pilots likely believed the same about the Saab J37 Viggen too. However, it was equipped with highly advanced weapons targeting and radar systems, which allowed for greater tracking and missile lock capabilities. The SR-71 still presented an immense challenge, but it seemed that the Swedish pilots simply adapted their tactics accordingly. An underside view of a Swedish Saab 37 Viggen fighter aircraft during Exercise BALTOPS ’85.

An underside view of a Swedish Saab 37 Viggen fighter aircraft during Exercise BALTOPS ’85.

It involved scrambling from their bases, achieving an altitude just below the Blackbird, and then – while flying at twice the speed of sound – climbing to fly directly towards the SR-71 in a head-on approach. Whereas typical intercepts involved approaching from behind, allowing missiles to have a better chance to lock on, the Viggen was equipped with a Skyflash missile that was capable of a radar lock-on from the front.

In January 1986, the tactics paid off. Swedish pilot Per-Olof Eldh scrambled in his Saab J37 Viggen fighter and started the head-on attack protocol. He successfully lined up with the Blackbird’s flight path and gained full missile lock on the approaching SR-71. SR-71 Spy Plane. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

SR-71 Spy Plane. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Eldh didn’t fire of course, and the two planes harmlessly cross paths and gained visual contact with one another.

But it proved to be the first successful interception and effective lock on the fastest operational aircraft in the world. Eldh went on to achieve five more successful SR-71 interceptions using such unorthodox tactics.

Now a Senior Editor for 1945, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites. He regularly writes about military hardware, and is the author of several books on military headgear including A Gallery of Military Headdress, which is available on Amazon.com. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes.

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites. He is the author of several books on military headgear including A Gallery of Military Headdress, which is available on Amazon.com. Suciu is also a contributing writer for Forbes Magazine.

For craps sake!!! Tell the whole story and do it correctly. The SR that was locked on was dropping fast because of an engine emergency. The starboard engine was out and the other engine was throttled back to subsonic speed.Yes the SR was still above Mach 2 but was rapidly decelerating. It is still impressive that the Viggen managed to coordinate the interception very effectively. That’s why the guys at Milldenhall gave the Viggen squadron an award for the interception. So to quell the other rumor oft cited that the Swedes could have shot down a SR cruising at 85,000 plus and Mach 3.2 is pure baloney and fantasy.

No, that is a different story. There was another time that the Swedish aircraft escorted the SR-71 after the engine failure, but Per-Olof Eldh successfully locked on to the SR-71 multiple times.

Locking on doesn’t mean a sustainable missile lock and the missile doesn’t travel at mach 3+, dangerous and could have ended badly for the Swede pilots, pushing the aircraft’s tolerances are never recommended! Per-Olof Eldh concludes; ‘I remember that the SR-71 was flying at an altitude of 22.000m and a speed of Mach 2.9. Ulf had some difficulties coming back to earth – he actually reached the target’s altitude and passed the SR-71 head-on at the same altitude with some side separation, but suffered a high temperature engine stall!’

Correct. Happy to see someone call the author out on this very edited version of events

Exactly!! Glad someone came on here to say that. If that other engine was running properly, that Swedish plane wouldn’t have had a snow ball’s chance in hell of locking onto the Blackbird.

Locking on with a simuated launch is one thing, actually being able to intercept the Habu is far different. All the Blackbird had to do was accelerate or climb in altitude or slightly change course and due to its incredible speed would ruin the intercept!

Loved the main article and all three comments. I live very close to Beale. I’m on a hill and every once in a while . I hear what I think to be is the U2 taking off. Sad day when “Shooter” went down. I’ve lived here since 1956, was 15 when moving here with Family. At that time we would hear and see the planes from Beale go over. They were from WW II . I use to think I could recognize them from the then current war movies. Great an interesting read. Thank you for the respect for each other in your reads.

I’m not very knowledgeable about air tactics so I’ll ask. Why would you get a missile lock on a plane in international air space?

It could have only been a forward hemisphere lock on the slighted turn loss of tone no sho

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