Saab 105

In 1959, development of the Saab 105 was initiated by Saab. The company decided to develop the aircraft as a private venture and intended for it to serve in a wide variety of military and civil capacities. In a military capacity, the 105 can be operated as a jet trainer, conduct aerial reconnaissance and ground attack, and in a limited interceptor capability. Among the diverse roles planned for the aircraft, Saab proposed a four-to-five seat business jet cabin configuration which was intended for corporate customers. At the time, the 105 was one of the only small European aircraft to be equipped with a turbofan engine, which was reported as of interest to prospective business customers. The 105 was intended to launch Saab into the business jet market. Ultimately no such customers emerged for the type and thus Saab elected to focus its interest upon military customers instead. Early on, the Swedish Air Force had formed a commitment with Saab that, contingent upon satisfactory performance of the prototype during flight testing, an order for at least 100 aircraft would be placed. In December 1961, the Swedish Government authorized the Swedish Air Force to sponsor the development and manufacture of a single prototype Saab 105 in a training configuration. On 29 June 1963, this first prototype conducted its maiden flight. In March 1965, a single prototype was dispatched to Turbomeca's facilities in Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Aquitaine, France, for further flight testing of its Turbomeca Aubisque powerplant. On 6 March 1965, the Swedish Air Force received authorisation from the Swedish Government to place an order for an initial quantity of 130 Saab 105 aircraft. The Swedish aircraft were divided into three principal variants, these being the SK 60A for training and liaison duties using a four-seat configuration, the SK 60B for light attack missions in a twin side-by-side seating configuration, and the SK 60C dual-role attack and reconnaissance aircraft, for the latter role equipped with various cameras in the aircraft's nose. ==Design==

(RIAT) The Saab 105 was developed to function as a small and inexpensive multirole aircraft, which has been most typically used in a training capacity. ==Operational history==

Saab 105Ö arrives for the 2014 Royal International Air Tattoo, England. The colour scheme commemorates 40 years of use by the Austrian Air Force In July 1967, the first Swedish Air Force student pilots started training on the Saab 105. In July 1970, Austrian Air Force pilot training activities on the type began. In August 2010, 22 of Austria's Saab 105 aircraft remained operational, attaining a combined total flight time of roughly 1,500 flying hours per year. During the 1990s, by which point the existing engines of the Swedish Air Force's SK 60 fleet were considered to be towards the end of their technical and economic lifespan, it was decided to replace the Turbomeca Aubisque engines with newly built Williams International FJ44 engines, which are lighter and less costly to operate. In November 1993, a contract was signed for the re-engining of 115 aircraft. The number of aircraft to be upgraded was subsequently reduced as a result of cuts to the defence budget. In June 2007, Saab signed a long term service agreement with the Austrian Air Force to provide logistics and technical support for their Saab 105Ö fleet for a further 10–15 years. Austria retired the Saab 105 in December 2020. In December 2008, Saab received a SKr 900 million ($115 million) contract to support extended operations of Sweden's 105 trainer fleet up to mid-2017. In September 2009, a SKr 130 million ($18.8 million) contract to deliver a package of cockpit and system upgrades for the SK 60 aircraft was signed. One goal of this modernisation was increased compatibility with the Saab JAS 39 Gripen, the primary combat aircraft of the Swedish Air Force. In October 2009, Saab proposed replacing the Swedish Air Force's SK 60 trainers with the Embraer Super Tucano. In March 2014, the Swedish Air Force publicly acknowledged that it was to begin studying replacement options for the Saab 105. Major General Micael Bydén observed that multinational training opportunities were being examined and that prospective replacement aircraft included the Alenia Aermacchi M-346, BAE Systems Hawk and Pilatus PC-21. In March 2014, Saab and Pilatus Aircraft signed a memorandum of understanding to offer the PC-21 to the Swedish Air Force. In April 2015, a request for information (RFI) was issued by the Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) for a new Military Flying Training System, to provide long term basic and advanced training fleet functions. The advanced trainer requirements specify the presence of an embedded training capability, including simulated radar and weapons use, as well as tactical displays in both cockpit positions resembling fourth and fifth-generation jet fighter aircraft. In 2020, Saab signed a new service agreement with the Swedish Armed Forces to provide support for the Saab 105 to 2025, with one year option to 2026. However, the type was officially retired 18 June 2024. In May 2021, the Grob G 120TP was chosen as the new basic trainer for the Swedish Air force, with first airplanes to be operational in 2023. The Saab Gripen will take on the advanced pilot training. ==Variants==

, at the Archangelos International Air show, Tanagra AFB-LGTG, Greece at the 2017 RIAT at RAF Fairford ; Saab 105 : Prototype. Two built. ; SK 60B : Two-seat attack version for the Swedish Air Force, modified from SK 60A with new weapons sight. ; SK 60D : Saab had also designed the Saab 105 for use as a four-seat liaison transport: the two ejection seats could be removed and quickly replaced with four airline-type seats, with no provision for wearing a parachute, or four more austere seats that allowed the wearing of parachutes. In the mid-1970s, ten SK 60A aircraft were permanently configured as transports and given the designation of "SK 60D". Some were painted in the light green/dark green/tan "splinter" camouflage associated with the Saab Viggen fighter. ; SK 60E : This variant was a similar four-seat SK 60A conversion, but featured commercial-type instruments, including an instrument landing system. It was used to help train Flygvapnet reserve pilots in flying commercial aircraft. The SK 60E machines were eventually used as SK 60D liaison transports. ; Saab 105D : A refined business jet variant was considered, but the idea was out of date and there were no takers. ; Saab 105Ö : Variant of the 105XT for the Austrian Air Force, first delivered to Austria in July 1970. 40 built, delivered 1970–72, replacing the de Havilland Vampire and Saab 29 Tunnan. ; Saab 105S : In the mid-1970s, Saab proposed yet another demonstrator, the "Saab 105S" for a Finnish trainer requirement, but the Finns decided to buy the BAe Hawk instead. ==Operators==

; Sweden • Swedish Air Force Historic Flight: 1, SE-DXG. Former operators ; Sweden • Swedish Air Force: 150. All retired on 18 June 2024 after 57 years of service ==Specifications (Saab 105Ö)==