![Sukhoi Su-24 inflight Mishin-2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Sukhoi_Su-24_inflight_Mishin-2.jpg)
Bas 90 (''Flygbassystem 90'', Air Base System 90) was an
air base
An air base (sometimes referred to as a military air base, military airfield, military airport, air station, naval air station, air force station, or air force base) is an aerodrome used as a military base by a military force for the operation ...
system used by the
Swedish Air Force during the
Cold War. Bas 90 was developed during the 1970s and 1980s from the existing
Bas 60
Bas 60 (''Flygbassystem 60'', Air Base System 60) was an air base system developed and used by the Swedish Air Force during the Cold War. The system was based around defensive force dispersal of aircraft and its supporting ground operations acros ...
system in response to the new threats and needs that had arisen since the conception of the Bas 60 system during the 1950s. Like its predecessor, the Bas 90 system was based around defensive
force dispersal
Force dispersal is the practice of spreading out soldiers and vehicles in an army. It is used to minimize the effects of collateral damage, such as from bombs and artillery, and increases the number of artillery rounds needed to neutralize or des ...
of
aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engine ...
across many ''krigsflygbaser'' (wartime air bases) in case of war, as well as dispersion of the air base functions within the individual bases themselves. The air units would have been dispersed so one
squadron
Squadron may refer to:
* Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies
* Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...
(8-12 aircraft) would be stationed per ''krigsflygbas''. The system was a protective measure against
nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions ( thermonuclear bomb), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bom ...
s and
airstrikes, the purpose being to make it complicated for an opponent to destroy the Swedish Air Force on the ground and thus ensure endurance for the air force in a conflict scenario.
The
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War (, ; ar, النكسة, , or ) or June War, also known as the 1967 Arab–Israeli War or Third Arab–Israeli War, was fought between Israel and a coalition of Arab states (primarily Egypt, Syria, and Jordan) from 5 to 10 Ju ...
, where the
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; he, זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, tl, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defens ...
destroyed most of the
Egyptian Air Force on the ground during its opening stages in
Operation Focus
Operation Focus ( he, מבצע מוקד, ''Mivtza Moked'') was the opening airstrike by Israel at the start of the Six-Day War in 1967. It is sometimes referred to as the "Sinai Air Strike". At 07:45 on 5 June 1967, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) u ...
, served both as validation for the Swedish dispersion concept and as reason to develop the system further. Another reason to improve the system was the introduction of long range
attack aircraft (primarily the
Su-24
The Sukhoi Su-24 (NATO reporting name: Fencer) is a supersonic, all-weather attack aircraft developed in the Soviet Union. The aircraft has a variable-sweep wing, twin-engines and a side-by-side seating arrangement for its crew of two. It was ...
) and
cluster munitions and
anti-runway bombs, which made air bases more vulnerable to
conventional bombing. Bas 60 had primarily been designed around the threat of nuclear weapons.
The development of Bas 90 began in the 1970s and started being implemented in the 1980s. The main improvements in Bas 90 compared to Bas 60 was the addition of backup
runway
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft". Runways may be a man-made surface (often asphalt, concre ...
s in direct vicinity to the main airfield, a more mobile
groundcrew
In all forms of aviation, ground crew (also known as ground operations in civilian aviation) are personnel that service aircraft while on the ground, during routine turn-around; as opposed to aircrew, who operate all aspects of an aircraft whilst ...
and improved communication technology.
The goal was to have a total of about 200 runways of different types available for military use across Sweden. This included bases that would not be upgraded to Bas 90 standard,
road runways from the Bas 60 system and selected civilian airports. The air bases became organized into ''flygbasgrupper'' (air base groups). One air base group consisted of a main base (built or planned to be built to Bas 90 standard) and a number of alternative and reserve bases.
During peace time the air squadrons were stationed at their respective
air wing
In military aviation, a wing is a unit of command. In most military aviation services, a wing is a relatively large formation of planes. In Commonwealth countries a wing usually comprises three squadrons, with several wings forming a group ( ...
and deployment to the wartime air bases would only occur when the threat level increased. But many of the air wings also doubled as wartime air bases and thus some air wings were also built to Bas 90 standard. The wartime air bases were only manned by a smaller ''bastropp'' (base
troop
A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Tr ...
) during peace time and the full base battalion would only be manned with a
mobilization
Mobilization is the act of assembling and readying military troops and supplies for war. The word ''mobilization'' was first used in a military context in the 1850s to describe the preparation of the Prussian Army. Mobilization theories and ...
(except during certain exercises). This was because the majority of the units were made up by
conscript
Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...
s. The base system was therefore never fully active during the time it existed, like the rest of the Swedish Armed Forces during the Cold War and the immediate period after.
Base layout
![Bas90layout2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Bas90layout2.png)
Bas 90 bases were mainly built from existing Bas 60 bases. The new system required expanding base infrastructure and construction of new fortifications. The new layout meant that the effective size of a base became 20-40 square kilometers, including surrounding terrain that needed to be surveilled and defended.
Main runway
The main runway was the same as in the Bas 60 system and remained unchanged. It was a typical runway at a length of and wide, with
runway aprons and a
taxiway
A taxiway is a path for aircraft at an airport connecting runways with aprons, hangars, terminals and other facilities. They mostly have a hard surface such as asphalt or concrete, although smaller general aviation airports sometimes use gravel ...
running parallel to it.
The main runway was designated ''Helge'' (''H'') in accordance with the
Swedish phonetic alphabet, with ''Helge'' standing for ''Huvudbana'' (Main runway).
''Kortbanor'' - Short runways
In order to avoid having aircraft become unable to operate from a base after an hostile airstrike on it ''kortbanor'' ("short runways" or "short strips") were built as backup runways in the vicinity of the airfield. Typically 2-3 ''kortbanor'' were built per base. Similar to the
road runways in the Bas 60 system these runways were often built on
public roads
A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...
. A ''kortbana'' differed in dimensions from a Bas 60 road runway though; a ''kortbana'' was in length and in width, compared to the older road runways which were in length and in width. Using shorter runways was made possible by the
STOL capability of the
Viggen
The Saab 37 Viggen (Swedish for ''"the Bolt"'' or ''"the Tufted Duck"'' ( see name)) is a retired Swedish single-seat, single-engine, short-medium range combat aircraft. Development work on the type was initiated at Saab in 1952 and, followin ...
(and later the
Gripen
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen (; English: ''griffin'') is a light single-engine multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by the Swedish aerospace and defense company Saab AB. The Gripen has a delta wing and canard configuration with relaxed stabilit ...
). Also unlike the Bas 60 road runways the new short runways were built in direct vicinity and directly connected to the main airfield and each other via
taxiway
A taxiway is a path for aircraft at an airport connecting runways with aprons, hangars, terminals and other facilities. They mostly have a hard surface such as asphalt or concrete, although smaller general aviation airports sometimes use gravel ...
s, which often also were sections of public road integrated into the base infrastructure. This meant that a Bas 90 base had several kilometers of taxiways in total. Usage of the short runways was limited in adverse light and weather conditions and would primarily be used if the main runway was not available.
The short runways were designated ''Bertil'' (''B''), ''Cesar'' (''C''), ''David'' (''D''), and so on in accordance with the Swedish phonetic alphabet. The designations were assigned from north to south.
Flight line positions
Compared to Bas 60, the flight line positions in a Bas 90 base were dispersed even further. Individual aircraft spaces (
hardstand
A hardstand (also hard standing and hardstanding in British English) is a paved or hard-surfaced area on which vehicles, such as cars or aircraft, may be parked. The term may also be used informally to refer to an area of compacted hard surface suc ...
s) were spread out along the taxiways across the entire area of the base, separated by up to . 20-40 individual aircraft hardstands were built on a base, which was more than the number of aircraft that would be stationed there. This was to allow for moving around the flight line operations on a base over time. An aircraft landing on a base would be met by a
motorcycle
A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...
unit that then
marshaled the aircraft to its hardstand, where the groundcrew would be waiting. The hardstands could be concealed with
camouflage
Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the b ...
nets and
decoy aircraft were used to counter enemy
aerial reconnaissance
Aerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance for a military or strategic purpose that is conducted using reconnaissance aircraft. The role of reconnaissance can fulfil a variety of requirements including artillery spotting, the collection of i ...
. Aircraft on stand-by at a hardstand would be connected to the bases communication net in order for the pilot to communicate directly with the base command and air defense central and also receive mission orders.
Operations
''Kommandocentral'' - Command Centre
The ''Kommandocentral (KC)'', Command Centre, from Bas 60 was kept, but expanded to be manned by 10 people instead of 6-8. The ''KC'' was located in an underground bunker and was from where the air traffic operations on the base were led and organized.
''Bascentralen (BasC)'' - The Base Central
A new addition in Bas 90 was ''Bascentralen (BasC)'', The Base Central, where the base command would be stationed. The ''BasC'' was located in an underground bunker. Pilots would also be stationed at the ''BasC'' in between missions. The ''BasC'' was equipped with computers for mission planning and the data could then be transferred to the aircraft computers.
''TLF'' - The Traffic Leader At The Field
''Trafikledaren Vid Fältet (TLF)'', The Traffic Leader At The Field, assisted in air traffic operations and could take them over completely if necessary. If someone was acting as ''TLF'' at one of the short runways they could also take over if required, carrying the necessary radio equipment in a vehicle.
''Basbataljon 85'' - Base battalion
![Klargöringskärra](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Klarg%C3%B6ringsk%C3%A4rra.jpg)
A new type of base battalion was introduced with Bas 90; ''basbataljon 85'' (base battalion type 85).
One of the main improvements with the new battalion type was a more mobile groundcrew that could perform mobile flight line operations. This meant that the groundcrew became
motorized in order to quickly deploy to and between the bases many and spread out flight line positions, carrying the necessary aircraft munition, fuel, tools and other equipment in their vehicles and on trailers. This capability was called ''rörlig klargöring'' (mobile turnaround). The groundcrew units would have their staging areas spread out and located away from the base infrastructure as a safety measure, and then deploy from there as ordered. One group of groundcrew (''klargöringstropp'') consisted of 15 men, with 6 vehicles of different kinds and 4 trailers. A ''klargöringstropp'' was dimensioned and equipped to serve one aircraft.
Another addition was the newly formed
Swedish Air Force Rangers
The Swedish Air Force Rangers (SAFR) ( sv, Flygbasjägarna, FBJ), is an elite specialist ground unit of the Swedish Air Force. The name "Flygbasjägare" originates in the unit's old role during the cold war of conducting security operations aroun ...
, which were tasked with searching for and intercepting approaching attackers and infiltrators outside the bases normal defensive perimeters.
About 30 ''basbataljon 85'' were organized during the 1980s. One battalion consisted of the following units:
* ''Bataljonstab'' (battalion command): command of the base and the battalion.
* ''Stabskompani'' (command company): air traffic control of aircraft on the ground and in the air.
* ''Stationskompani'' (station company): aircraft groundcrew and maintenance.
* ''Markförsvarskompani'' (ground defense company): base defense and surveillance, consisting of ''närskyddsplutoner'' (proximity defense platoons) and ''Flygbasjägare'' (Air Force Rangers). The ''närskyddsplutoner'' would form the defense around the immediate base area and the Air Force Rangers would patrol further away from the base.
* ''Skyddskompani'' (security company): base security, removal of unexploded ordnance and fire fighting.
* ''Flygfältsarbetskompani'' (field works company): base infrastructure repair and maintenance.
* ''Underhållskompani'' (service company): medical care, food service and logistics.
The defense of the base could also be reinforced with
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...
and
anti-air
Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...
units from the
Swedish Army.
Today
The Bas 90 project slowed down with the end of the cold war, and was halted by the mid 1990s. The system was completely scrapped in the
2000s
File:2000s decade montage3.png, From top left, clockwise: The World Trade Center on fire and the Statue of Liberty during the 9/11 attacks in 2001; the euro enters into European currency in 2002; a statue of Saddam Hussein being toppled during th ...
and many of the wartime air bases have been demilitarized and sold to civilian owners. About 20 bases had been expanded to Bas 90 standard to varying degrees when the project was halted.
However, with the international developments during the 2010s, particularly in regards to
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
and the
Russia-Ukraine conflict, there is renewed interest in reclaiming former air bases and their capabilities.
List of Bas 90 air bases
Initially the Bas 90 project focused on expanding the air bases in northern Sweden, as the air force wanted to increase the base capacity in the region.
References
Notes
Books
*
*
*
Journals
*
*
*
Web
*
*{{cite web , url=https://www.forsvarsmakten.se/siteassets/5-information-och-fakta/historia/vagbaserna/fortv-2007-1.pdf , publisher=
Swedish Fortifications Agency , title=Svenska militära flygbaser , last=Törnell , first=Bernt , location=Tomelilla , date=January 2007 , access-date=19 March 2019 , language=sv
External links
''Flygbassystem 90''(YouTube),
Flygvapnets TV-studio. In Swedish, English subtitles.
Swedish Air Force
Military aviation
Cold War