When Sweden produced nuclear weapons, they dreamed of an A-36 with a very simple goal.
To ensure that a nuclear payload could be sent to Russia. And yet the bomber was never built.
Why? Eleven wars have taken place between Russia and Sweden since the 12th century,
and at the end of the 19th century, Stockholm still feared invasions from
the east during the Cold War. To maintain its policy of neutrality,
Sweden is trying to create a well-stocked arsenal of domestic military technology.
From 1945 to 1972, the Scandinavian country even ran a secret nuclear weapons program
under the auspices of the Swedish National Defense Research Institute (FOA).
The question was how such a weapon was deployed as needed, and between 1952 and 57
the Swedish army even conducted a feasibility study to create a delta-wing supersonic
bomber with a nuclear strike capability. Thus was born Project 1300, a bomber capable of
carrying a free-falling nuclear weapon weighing up to 800 kg. Unlike the American or Soviet bombers
of the time, which had to fly extreme distances, the Swedes opted for a small bomber that could
be piloted by a single pilot. Distance is considered a minor issue, because the most likely
adversary is, of course, the Soviet Union. With a proposed distance of about 250
miles (410 km), the bomber was able to reach targets in the Baltic states, which were under
the control of the Soviet Union, and even the city of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg).
The A-36 is Fast and Powerful The Saab A-36 can fly long distances but
can reach targets quickly. Saab engineers studied various configurations in bomber development.
These include floating wings and delta wing constructions, and in the end, it was decided
that the most suitable is a delta wing, which allows the aircraft to reach speeds around Mach 2.
Several different configurations were considered to achieve such high speeds, and the overhead air
tunnel test model included a twin-engine design with wing motors. As the project progressed,
it was decided to use the British Bristol Olympus, which is the same type of engine used by the
Avro Vulcan and the commercial Concorde SST. The appliance must also be equipped with an
afterburner and air supply. However, the problem is the
high speed of the Project. Saab engineers have expressed concern that the aircraft
will experience massive aerodynamic warming and that high heat could damage nuclear weapons,
or even detonate a bomb prematurely! To solve the problems,
the engineers determined that the cargo could be transported in the internal armory. It also
deals with another problem, which is towing, which affects the performance of the aircraft. However,
there is a compromise. Carrying a weapon inside means a charge reduction
and in addition, the internal space for fuel, avionics, and other systems is affected.
Another famous Swedish design element of the bomber is the ability to operate from
scattered airports, which is an important part of the country's military training.
The point is that large airports and bases were soon hit during the war. It is not entirely
clear how exactly the designers will deal with the problems, but the bomber is supposed to be
like the heart of Sweden! The A-36 does not Fly
The dreaded 1300 project was abruptly canceled in 1957 before a prototype
aircraft could be built. There are online links to the Saab A36 "Vargen" (Wolf),
but it is also unclear whether the proposed aircraft was given such a name. When Sweden
also abolished its nuclear weapons program in the 1960s, any need for such a bomber was constant.