@guy35451
For a British person apart from the beauty of the airplane, the most impressive thing is that you have 800m of roads that don't have potholes or speed bumps.
@marcellino53
My country Brazil is one of the first global players to believe and develop a partnership with Saab, aiming at the buying, developing, searching and selling the whole platform as a solution for modern warfare. And the plane is simply gorgeous... Thanks Sweden, and greetings from Brazil ❤
@persjofors2586
I did my military service '74 and '75 in the Swedish airforce. The fighter then was J35F. We trained on how to relocate to bases using regular highways. Each base had a main runway and one or two secondary runways. The main runway was easy to spot when driving up and down the country. The road widened, and the trees on either side were cut back. There were no overhead power lines, and at each end were these parking lots (typically four at each end) for planes to stand by to be able to quickly take flight, should it be needed. The secondary runway(s) was much more difficult to spot as the idea was to remove any overhead lines and cut back the trees in case of a conflict. Refueling and rearmament happened a little further away, 500m or so from that main runway. From this location, access to the secondary runways was possible. As the ground crew, we had to meet the requirement to refuel (not only jet fuel but certain oils and oxygen), rearm, and a new pilot in 7 minutes. Lots of bloody knuckles. I don't think we ever got to the 7 minutes, but definitely to below 10 minutes.
@jamesdjbrown
As a Canadian, I completely agree with this perspective—especially when thinking about our own defense challenges in the Arctic. Large, permanent bases just aren’t practical up there, so a decentralized approach makes far more sense for us too. The Swedish philosophy of training “every soldier as a general” really resonates. That kind of adaptability and independence is exactly what’s needed in harsh, remote environments where communication can break down and small teams may have to operate autonomously. The JAS system reflects that mindset perfectly. Not only do we in Canada face similar budget constraints, but the scale of our territory adds another level of complexity—our Arctic alone is over 3 million square kilometers, larger than the entire country of Sweden. In that kind of environment, dispersed fighter operations aren’t just ideal—they're a necessity. Gripen’s ability to operate from austere, remote locations with minimal support makes it a far more practical solution than platforms that require heavy infrastructure and constant maintenance. This video really nailed the core logic behind that doctrine. There’s a lot we could learn from Sweden’s approach—especially when it comes to safeguarding our sovereignty in the North.
@peterlund8814
Talking about culture. I am Swedish. I have been working both in the UK and in Germany (and obviously in Sweden) many months within different telecom businesses. The thing that struck me was how much the working culture differred, not between UK and Germany, but betwee these two and the Swedish working culture. And my experience resembles very much with what you discuss in this video. The thing that makes Swedish work culture stand out is the appreciation of individual enpowerment and distributed decision making. Let the people on the floor, that know the real business, make the decisiion. Do not force them to always ask a clueless higher management for approvals.
@GabrielVitor-kq6uj
As a brazillian Im particularly prideful that the wide display that got into the Gripen-E is brazillian made and was intended for our aircraft only, but Sweden liked it and decided to use it too themselves... it such a small detail... but it makes me happy. That's collaboration.
@inber
Swede here. I think you nailed the Swedish mentality and how the culture allows for a high level of trust and responsibility. I am very proud of our Gripen fighters, but the human side of the system/platform is a key to success. We use conscripts for servicing the aircraft on the ground and dispersed bases. And that’s the way it has been for ages, at least 50 years or so.
@2005jes2005
I was a SAAB37 Viggen pilot for about a decade and I recognize the mentality described in this video. Working with the US for example was a real pain.
@Sarados1980
I only did my basic military training in Germany, but I think the swedish model is much more suited for the modern battlefield then the strict German one. I think especially in Ukraine we see that decentralized operation, improvisation and adaptation are the key elements of a modern battlefield.
@JohnMckeown-dl2cl
As a person that spent 22 years in the USAF as an aircraft maintainer, I see the Swedish model as achievable, but not so likely to happen. American units are very attached to the idea of operating from fixed facilities. One just has to see how the bases are constructed to realize this. Large amounts of facilities with hardened aircraft shelters, centralized supply and ammunition storage. We deployed often, but always to another fixed/prepared location. Yes, we practiced "hot pit" refueling and quick turns, but nothing like the Swedish way. There have been some experiments with ANG A-10 units operating using highways and C-130s landing on unprepared airstrips trying dispersal techniques, but these are few and far between. Maybe buried somewhere deep in the pentagon are some plans to do it all, it is not something leadership puts much effort to creating a culture of this. The only effort seems to be the US Marines that are planning something similar for a future battle in the Pacific. It is still in the "talking about it" stage and may lead to something like the Swedish way. The expression that generals are re-fighting the last war may be applicable here. They are using the blueprint from the Gulf Wars and Afghanistan to plan for a more dynamic war against a near peer adversary. I always enjoy your presentations, keep up the good work.
@apolitis1
The fact that this jet has a similar performance to the F-16 at a third of the operational cost and supports modern tech and weapons says everything you need to know about it. Greetings from Greece.
@johnearle1
The dispersed asset strategy was perfected with the JA 37 Viggen. Sweden is a pioneer in aircraft development and design. SAAB has always punched above its weight.
@sultanpoppa3735
I’m also a fan of the Grippen’s development framework, allowing teams of developers and mechanical engineers to scrum together at a scaled level that has allowed it to surpass Lockheed Martin’s SAFe model in terms of development outcomes. Harvard Business Review published a white paper on how SAAB organized their development teams and it’s no accident that the same mobile footprint of the aircraft is also reflected in SAAB’s organization.
@simonpkershaw
In a former career (which I really miss by the way) I worked for a computer games company that also helped the military with training simulation, I got to meet and work with Swedish & Finnish airforce personnel, what struck me was how down to earth and practical there thought processes were but extremely in depth knowledge at the sam e time. I absolutely see how that came about now. I always thought the Uk should have bought in to the gripen programme as a hi low mix with typhoon, I think the range issues could be solved and the whole philosophy of operation would have suited our budget too.
@kentnilsson465
My father was an officer in the navy(helicopters), me I was an army officer. I have also talked to many from the airforce, and while this was a long time ago I believe the mentality still exists with a higher measure of safety. We train as if its war. We cant train in one way and then when/if the war comes its different, then you wont be prepared. I remember a Viggen pilot telling me that when they were practicing low level attack against Sovjet naval forces to prevent amphibious landing. The attack height approach was 10m above sea level going above mach 1. Now this was the 80s and things have changed and they dont do that anymore but the mentality within the armed forces still remains. We train as close to war like conditions as we possibly can, while being as safe as possible, and this is a judgement call within a security framework.
@johnkochen7264
I have been following developments in military aircraft for over 50 years now and in that time I have only seen two fighter jets that have blown my mind. The first was the McDonnell F-15 and now the SAAB Gripen. Yes, there are other jets out there that are very, very good but sometimes you see a design that just looks right and the F-15 and Gripen both qualify.
@davidhawkins7138
I was glad to find this, given that Canada may need Gripens to replace some or all of our planned F-35s. Many of the issues Sweden faces have Canadian analogues - large territory, Arctic conditions, lack of infrastructure, asymmetries in force with potential adversaries.
@dan_halfsvear
I'm a native Swede and airforce nerd. Good episode. You struck home with a lot of your takes
@mathiassvensson7911
My father worked as a technical officer in the Swedish airforce for over thirty years, supervising conscripts in rearming and refueling fighters, he never complained of their performance, if someone was not up to the task, he just got another job.
@jonassamme1889