1 Swedish Aircraft Designation System

From its creation in 1926, the Swedish Air Force used an aircraft designation similar in concept to the current U.S. system, using type letters, model numbers, and series letters. When the Army and Navy obtained own aircraft after 1926 (mostly helicopters, but including a few fixed-wing aircraft), they also used this designation system.

Examples:	B	3	A
	Trp	3
	J	35	B
	Sk	35	C
	(1)	(2)	(3)

The basic designation consists of mission/type letter(s) (1) and a number (2). Initially, each mission/type code used a separate model number series (as in the current U.S. system). However, this was changed in 1940, when it was decided that each basic type should receive a unique number regardless of its mission. This is similar to the current Canadian system. Aircraft of the same basic type modified for different missions use the same number, prefixed by the appropriate mission letter. Multimission aircraft use several mission letters. Note that there is no dash between the mission letter(s) and the model number.

Initially, the numbers were assigned to reflect manufacturers' or U.S. military designations (e.g. AT-16 = Sk 16, C-45 = Tp 45, Saab 91 = Tp 91). Types within the same braod category (like combat, transport, training, etc.) were then often given the next number, which resulted in several non-overlapping "sequences" of designations. The gaps between these sequences are of no special significance. Numbers from 801 and up were used for leased aircraft. The only "real" designation in this range, however, is the Fpl 801.

The following mission/type codes are defined:

A - Attack
B - Bomb (Bomber)
Fpl - Flygplan (Aeroplane) (used by the Army for fixed-wing aircraft)
Hkp - Helikopter (Helicopter)
J - Jakt (Fighter)
Ö - Övning (Advanced Trainer) (no longer used)
P - Prov (Trials, Prototypes and Other) (no longer used)
S - Spaning (Reconnaissance)
Sk - Skol (Trainer)
T - Torped (Torpedo Bomber) (no longer used)
Tp - Transport (originally Trp)

Note: Multiletter type codes (Fpl, Hkp, Sk, Tp) are now usually written in all capitals (FPL, HKP, SK, TP). This new spelling was apparently introduced around 1964. For the sake of consistency, I use the mixed-case prefixes for all designations in this document.

Gliders were numbered in a special series, using numbers 101 and up, and the following prefixes:

G - Glidflygplan (Glider)
Se - Segelflygplan (Soarer)
Lg - Lastglidare (Transport Glider)

The suffix letter (3) is optional and indicates a modification. The letters are assigned alphabetically. Originally, the first version used no suffix letter, the first modification used "A", etc. Since the J28, the standard pratice is to add suffixes as needed. If there is only a single version of a type, it uses no suffix, but when several variants are planned or procured from the start, the first gets suffix "A", the second "B", etc. If no suffix was initially used, and additional variants are added to the inventory, the new versions receive suffixes "B", "C", etc. The original un-suffixed version is sometimes (but not always, possibly depending on whether it has already been operational or not) redesignated with an "A" suffix.

A few special suffixes were used on some early types to designate different landing gear configurations:

H - Hydroplan (Float plane); later S - Sjöflygplan (Seaplane)
L - Landflygplan (Land Plane)

2 Designation Listing

The listings are provided in two parts. The first listings include the pre-1940 designations, and are divided into the various mission/type series.

The post-1940 designations are provided in a single list, reflecting the practice of using a unique number for each basic aircraft type. Helicopters are still listed separately, because their numbering sequence started at 1, and doesn't integrate well into the aeroplane model number series.

2.1 Designations 1926 - 1940

A - Attack

Designation	Manufacturer	Model; Remarks
A 1	FVM/Phönix	C.I E2

B - Bomb (Bomber)

Designation	Manufacturer	Model; Remarks
B 1	Fiat	BR
B 2	Fiat	BR.I
B 3	Junkers	Ju 86K-1; variants include B 3A (Ju 86K-4), B 3B (Ju 86K-5), B 3C (Junkers/Saab Ju 86K-13), B 3C-2 (modified B 3A/B) and B 3D (modified B 3C)
B 4	Hawker	Hart; originally designated S 7; variant B 4A (originally S 7A) built by ASJA/CVM/Götaverken
B 5	Northrop	8A-1; variants include B 5A and Saab/Northrop B 5B/C
B 6	Republic	Guardsman
B 7	Fokker	G.Ib; never delivered, would have been redesignated B 26
B 8	Saab	L-10; became B 17 in 1940

J - Jakt (Fighter)

Designation	Manufacturer	Model; Remarks
J 1	FVM/Phönixwerke	based on D.II or D.III
J 2	Nieuport-Delage	ND-29C-1
J 3	Fokker	C.VD; variants include J 3A and J 3B (built by CVM); redesignated as S 6 (J 3B) and S 6A (J 3/3A) in 1931
J 4	Heinkel/Svenska Aero	HD 19
J 5	Svenska Aero	Jaktfalken
J 6	Svenska Aero	Jaktfalk I (J 6) and II (J 6A/B)
J 7	Bristol	Bulldog II/IIA
J 8	Gloster	Gladiator I (J 8) and II (J 8A)
J 9	Seversky/Republic	EP-106
J 10	Vultee	Vanguard 48C-1; never delivered
J 11	Fiat	CR.42bis Falco
J 12	Reggiane	Re 2000; became J 20 in 1940

Ö - Övning (Advanced Trainer)

Designation	Manufacturer	Model; Remarks
Ö 1	FVM/CFM	Tummalisa
Ö 2	FVM	Albatros C.I
Ö 3	Gloster	Grouse Mk II
Ö 4	FVM/Phönix	C.I E1 Dront
Ö 5	FVM/Phönix	C.I E3 Dront
Ö 6	Bristol	F.2B Fighter
Ö 7	SvA	SA-10 Piraten
Ö 8	SvA	SA-13 Övningsfalken
Ö 9	ASJA	Typ 2
Ö 10		TB; not built

P - Prov (Trials, Prototypes and Other)

Designation	Manufacturer	Model; Remarks
P 1	Sparmann	S 1-A "Sparmannjagare"
P 2	Focke-Wulf	FW 44; became Sk 12 in 1937
P 3	Sparmann	E4; not built
P 4	Fieseler	Fi 156K-1; became S 14 in 1940
P 5	Handley Page	Hampden Mk I
P 6	Focke-Wulf	Fw 58KJ-1/Fw 58KO-1/Fw 58KO-2 Weihe
P 7	Saab	L-10-2 (P 7A; prototype for B 17A), L-10-1 (P 7B; prototype for B 17B)
P 8	Saab	L-11 (Saab 18); prototype for B 18
P 8A	AFF/ASJA	G.1; not built
P 8B	Götaverken	GP 8; not built
P 9A	Saab	L-12; became P 19 and later J 19; not built
P 9B	Götaverken	GP 9; not built

S - Spaning (Reconnaissance)

Designation	Manufacturer	Model; Remarks
S 1	CVM	S 21/S 25
S 2	Caspar/Sv.Aero/TDS	Heinkel S.I Hansa Brandenburg
S 3	Svenska Aero/CFS	Heinkel S.II Hansa Brandenburg
S 4	Heinkel	HE 4 Hansa
S 5	Svenska Aero	HE 5 Hansa; variants include S 5A/B (Sv.Aero/CFV HE 5/t), S 5B (CVV He 5/t) and S 5C/D (CVV He 5/t TB)
S 6	Fokker/CVM	C.VE (ex J 3B); variants include S 6A (Fokker/CVM C.VD; ex J 3/3A) and S 6B (CVM C.VE)
S 7	Hawker	Hart (became B 4); S 7A (became B 4A) variant built by ASJA/CVM
S 8	Svenska Aero/ASJA	SA 15; cancelled
S 9	Hawker	Osprey
S 10	Breguet	694; never delivered
S 11	Dornier	Do 215; never delivered
S 12	Heinkel	He 114B-1
S 13	Fokker	G.I; never delivered, would have been redesignated S 26
S 14	Fieseler	Fi 156K-1 Storch; variants include S 14A (Fi 156C) and S 145B (Fi 156C-3/Trop)
S 15	Saab	L-10 (Saab 17); became S 17 in 1940

Sk - Skol (Trainer)

Designation	Manufacturer	Model; Remarks
Sk 1	Albatros	Model 120, B.IIa
Sk 2	Friedrichshafen/TDS	FF 33J
Sk 3	Avro	504K
Sk 4	Heinkel/Svenska Aero	HD 24; variants include Sk 4A/B (modified Sk 4)
Sk 5	Heinkel	HD 35
Sk 6	Heinkel	HD 36; variant Sk 6A built by CFM
Sk 7	DeHavilland	D.H.60X/M Cirrus/Gipsy Moth
Sk 8	Svenska Aero	SA-12 Skolfalken
Sk 9	DeHavilland	D.H.60T Moth Trainer
Sk 10	ASJA	RK 26 Tiger-Schwalbe
Sk 11	DeHavilland/ASJA	D.H.82 Tiger Moth; variants include Sk 11A (D.H.82A)
Sk 12	Focke-Wulf/ASJA/CVV	Fw 44J Stieglitz
(Sk 13)	Not assigned
Sk 14	North American/Saab	NA-16-4M; variants include Sk 14A and SK 14N (rebuilt with nosewheel)
Sk 15	Klemm	Kl 35B/D; variants include Sk 15A/B (Kl 35D) and Sk 15C (Kl 35DW)
Sk 16	North American	Texan/Harvard; details in the post-1940 table, q.v.

T - Torped (Torpedo)

Designation	Manufacturer	Model; Remarks
T 1	Heinkel	HD 16
T 2	Heinkel	He 115A-2

Tp - Transport

Designation	Manufacturer	Model; Remarks
Trp 1	Junkers/Flygindustri	Ju F 13fe/F 13de
Trp 2	Junkers/Flygindustri	Ju W 33g; variants include Trp 2A (Ju W 34h)
Trp 3	DeHavilland	D.H.90 Dragonfly
Trp 4	Beechcraft	18R
Tp 5	Junkers	Ju 52/3m ci, Ju 52/3m vai
Tp 6	Fairchild	Model 24 De Luxe
Tp 7	Miles	M 3A Falcon Major
Tp 8	Waco	UIC-4; variants include Tp 8A (ZQC-6)
Trp 9	ASJA	Viking II; never ordered, number reused
Tp 9	Junkers	Ju 86Z-7
Tp 10	Fokker	F.VIII

2.2 Designations since 1940

Aeroplanes

Designation	Manufacturer	Model; Remarks
B/S/T/Tp 16	Caproni	Ca 313S; variants include B 16A (became S 16A), S 16A (ex B 16A), S 16B (ex T 16A), T 16A (became S 16B) and Tp 16A (ex S 16A)
Sk 16	North American	Texan/Harvard; variants include Sk 16A (AT-16), Sk 16B (AT-6) and Sk 16C (SNJ-2); number "16" reused as continuation of pre-1940 Sk-series and/or to keep number from "AT-16" designation
B/S 17	Saab	L-10 (Saab 17); variants include B 17A/B/C, S 17BL (ex B 17B) and S 17BS (ex S 17BL)
B/S/T 18	Saab	Saab 18; variants include B 18A/B, S 18A (rebuilt B 18A) and T 18B
J 19	Saab	L-12; not built
J 20	Reggiane	Re 2000 Falco; originally designated J 12
A/J 21	Saab	Saab 21; variants include J 21A-1, J 21A-2, A 21A-3 and J 21B
A 21R	Saab	Saab 21R; variants include A 21RA (originally designated J 21R) and A 21RB
J/S 22	FFVS	FFVS 22; variants include P 22 (prototypes), J 22-1/2 and S 22-3
J 23	Saab	L-23; project only
B/J 24	Saab	L-24; cancelled, number reused
Tp 24	Dornier	Do 24T-1
Sk 25	Bücker	Bü 181B Bestmann
Sk 26	Saab	Saab 26 (improved Sk 14); cancelled, number reused
B/S 26	Fokker	G.I; originally B 7 and S 13; cancelled, number reused
J/S 26	North American	P-51D Mustang; variants include J 26 and S 26 (modified J 26)
J 27	Saab	L-27; cancelled
A/J/Sk 28	DeHavilland	D.H.100 Vampire; variants include J 28A (Vampire F.1; later A 28A), J 28B (Vampire FB.50; later A 28B) and Sk 28C (Vampire T.55)
A/J/S 29	Saab	Tunnan; variants include J 29A, J 29B (a.k.a. A 29B), S 29C, J 29E (modified J 29B) and J 29F (modified J 29B/E; a.k.a. A 29F)
J 30	DeHavilland	D.H.98 Mosquito NF.19
S 31	Supermarine	Spitfire PR.19
A/J/S 32	Saab	Lansen; variants include A 32A, J 32B, S 32C, J 32D (modified J 32B) and J 32E (modified J 32B)
J 33	DeHavilland	D.H.112 Venom NF.51
J 34	Hawker	Hunter F.50
J/S/Sk 35	Saab	Draken; variants include J 35A, J 35B, Sk 35C (rebuilt J 35A), J 35D, S 35E, J 35F1, J 35F2 and J 35J (rebuilt J 35F)
A 36	Saab	nuclear bomber; cancelled
AJ/JA/... 37	Saab	Viggen; variants include AJ 37, AJS 37 (modified AJ 37), AJSF 37 (modified SF 37), AJSH 37 (modified SH 37), JA 37, SF 37 (photo reconnaissance), SH 37 (maritime surveillance), Sk 37 and Sk 37E (Sk 37 modified for ECM)
A/Sk 38	Saab	Saab 38; cancelled
JAS 39	Saab	Gripen; variants include JAS 39A, JAS 39B (two-seater), JAS 39C (improved JAS 39A) and JAS 39D (two-seat version of JAS 39C)

Tp 45	Beechcraft	C-45
Tp 46	DeHavilland	D.H.104 Dove
Tp 47	Convair	PBY Catalina
(48)	(No information)
(49)	(No information)
Sk 50	Saab	Saab 91B/C Safir; variants include Sk 50B (Saab 91B) and Sk 50C (Saab 91C)
Fpl 51	Piper	PA-18; variants include Fpl 51A (PA-18-350 Super Cub) and Fpl 51B (PA-18-135 L-21B)
Tp 52	English Electric	Canberra (ELINT version)
Fpl 53	Dornier	Do 27
Fpl 54	MFI	MFI 10 Vipan
Tp 54	Piper	PA-31-350 Navajo
Tp 55	DeHavilland-Canada	DHC-4 Caribou

Sk 60	Saab	Saab 105 (was to be Sk 55, but Saab asked for number 60); variants include Sk 60A, Sk 60B (rebuilt Sk 60A), Sk 60C (rebuilt Sk 60B) and Sk 60D/E
Sk/Fpl 61	Scottish Aviation	Bulldog; variants include Sk 61A/B/C/D/E and Fpl 61C

Tp 78	Noorduyn	Norseman
Tp 79	Douglas	C-47 Dakota
Tp 80	Avro	Lancaster Mk.I
Tp 81	Grumman	Goose
Tp 82	Vickers	Varsity
Tp 83	Percival	Pembroke C.52
Tp 84	Lockheed	C-130H Hercules
Tp 85	SNIAS	Caravelle
Tp 86	Rockwell	Sabreliner
Tp 87	Cessna	Model 404
Tp 88	Fairchild	Metro III; variants include Tp 88, Tp 88B (Metro/Merlin IV C) and TP 88C
SH/Tp 89	CASA	Model 212 Aviocar
(90)	Probably not assigned, to avoid confusion with the Saab 90 Scandia airliner
Tp 91	Saab	Saab 91A Safir
92	-	Number used for RB 05A missile training simulator
93	-	Number used for JA 37 part task training
(94)	(No information)
(95)	(No information)
(96)	(No information)
97	-	Number used for Draken simulator
98	-	Number used for Viggen simulator
(99)	(No information)
S/Tp 100	Saab	Saab 340; variants include Tp 100 (Saab 340B) and S 100B (Saab 340 AEW Argus)
Tp 101	Beech	Super King Air 200
S/Tp 102	Gulfstream	Gulfstream IV; variants include Tp 102A/C and S 102B (Gulfstream IV Korpen)
Tp 103	Cessna	Citation II

Fpl 801

MFI

MFI-9B Mili-trainer

Helicopters

Designation	Manufacturer	Model; Remarks
Hkp 1	Vertol	Model 44
Hkp 2	SNIAS	Alouette II (originally designated Tp 84 in the first 6 months!)
Hkp 3	Agusta/Bell	AB 204B; variants include Hkp 3B (Air Force) and Hkp 3C (Navy)
Hkp 4	Vertol	Model 107-II; variants include Hkp 4A (Air Force), Hkp 4B (Navy; Model 107-II-15), Hkp 4C (Navy; Model 107-II-16) and Hkp 4D (Navy; modified Hkp 4A)
Hkp 5	Hughes/Schweizer	Model 269/300; variants include Hkp 5 (Hughes 269A) and Hkp 5B (Schweizer 300C)
Hkp 6	Agusta/Bell	AB-206A Jet Ranger; variants include Hkp 6A (Army), Hkp 6B (Navy) and Hkp 6C (Air Force)
Hkp 7	-	Designation reserved for planned ASW helicopter; not used, because Vertol 107-II-16 (Hkp 4C) was selected
Hkp 8	-	Designation reserved for planned SAR helicopter; not used, because Bo 105CBS (Hkp 9B) was selected
Hkp 9	MBB	Bo 105; variants include Hkp 9A (Army; Bo 105CB-3) and Hkp 9B (Air Force; Bo 105CBS)
Hkp 10	Eurocopter	AS.332M Super Puma
Hkp 11	Agusta/Bell	AB-412HP
Hkp 12	-	Designation reserved for planned medium helicopter; cancelled and superseeded by Hkp 14 program
(Hkp 13)	(No information; most probably not assigned)
Hkp 14	NH Industries	NH-90
Hkp 15	Agusta	A109M

Gliders

Designation	Manufacturer	Model; Remarks
G 101	AB Flygindustri	Swedish version of Zögling SG-38
Se 102	AB Flygplan	Swedish version of Schneider Grunau Baby IIB-2
Se 103	AB Flygplan	Swedish version of DFS Kranich B-1
Se 104	AB Flygindustri	Swedish version of DFS Weihe
Lg 105	AB Flygindustri	Fi 3

3 Sources and Additional Information

The information presented on this page has been obtained almost exclusively from Urban Fredriksson's Swedish (and Worldwide) Military Aviation web site. Please refer to Urban's site for detailed and extensive information about Swedish military aviation, including descriptions and photographs of almost all of the aircraft (including many prototypes and projects).

Comments and corrections to: Andreas Parsch

Back to Non-U.S. Military Aircraft and Missile Designations home page

Last Updated: 12 September 2003