Swedish EagletThe Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) used the MB-326H as a jet trainer from 1967. A total of 97 were ordered with the majority built by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) and Hawker Aircraft with the designation CA-30. The RAAF's aerobatic team, “The Roulettes”, also flew the type.
Although well-suited to its task and widely liked for its excellent handling, the service career of the MB-326 was cut short because of structural fatigue problems discovered after a fatigue-related crash. Options to conduct a life-of-type extension program and possibly re-winging were considered but ultimately, the new Labor Government of Prime Minister Bob Hawke decided against this for fear it would only be a stop gap measure. The desire of the new Government to be seen as acting decisive on Defence matters in the wake of the Invincible Carrier purchase saga. Then Minister for Aviation (soon to be Minister for Defence), Kim Beazley, directed the RAAF to draw up a short list of candidates. This would include, the Aermacchi MB-339, the British Aerospace Hawk, the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet and the Saab 110.
This was a superb set to choose from and observers couldn’t decide which candidate was the favourite. The MB-339 had quasi-incumbent status and despite the fatigue issues, the RAAF had liked its earlier stablemate; the Hawk was seen to be a superb offering from the ‘mother country’ and many thought a buy would help sooth any animosity following the carrier deal cancellation; the Alpha Jet had the French connection to the RAAF’s existing Mirage IIIO fleet. In the end though, it was the plucky Saab offering that came out on top. This being mainly due to the fact that the side-by-side seating was felt to offer greater crew coordination and lead in to the RAAF’s F-111s while not being detrimental to any fighter conversion. The fact that the Swedes gave a very aggressive price helped too (they were desperate to get the RAAF as a customer to help win other bids).
The Saab 110 was a development of the Saab 105G with the more powerful J85-GE-21 engines providing more than 22% more thrust than the 105G variant, modified wing, slightly redesigned nose section and canopy, and a maximum takeoff weight of 7,000kg. It was also able to be fitted with an armament of two belly mounted 20 or 30mm cannon and wingtip pylons for Sidewinder missiles in addition to up to 6 underwing hard points. The armament options were seen as very useful, not only to assist in the training of pilots but also as a useful light fighter capability.
In 1984 a contract was signed for 97 of the new Saabs. The first 7 would be produced in Sweden with the remainder being manufactured by a combination of the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC), the Government Aircraft Factories (GAF), and Hawker de Havilland (HdH). In service it would be known as the Saab Marti (this being the word for “Eaglet” or “Young Eagle” from the language of the Martu people of the Western Australian desert).
In addition to the RAAF requirement, the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) would also order 18 of the type from the Australian factory in 1986.
In RAAF service, the type would be flown by the following units:
· No. 25 Squadron RAAF
· No. 76 Squadron RAAF
· No. 77 Squadron RAAF
· No. 79 Squadron RAAF
· No. 2 Flying Training School RAAF
· No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit RAAF
· No. 5 Operational Training Unit RAAF
· Central Flying School RAAF
· Roulettes
· Aircraft Research and Development Unit
In RNZAF service, they would be flown by just No. 14 Squadron.
The RAAF would continue to operate the type until the early 2000s when it was replaced by the new EADS Mako. These continue to fly today. The RNZAF still operate their Saab Martis.
Other operators would include the Royal Malaysian Air Force, the Republic of Korea Air Force and the Indonesian Air Force.
Top: Saab 110 Marti A23-114 of the RAAF's Roulettes demonstration team.
Bottom: Marti A23-034 of No. 25 Squadron RAAF operating out of RAAF Base Pearce in Perth, Western Australia.
Pepatung M34-09 sports the TUDM's original 'lo-viz' scheme, which featured monochrome 'square' roundels while retaining full-colour fin flashes.
Bottom: A Saab 110 Kereru (Wood Pigeon) NZ6304 of No. 14 Squadron RNZAF. Like late production RAAF Martis, all Kiwi aircraft were delivered with a nose radar fitted. This aircraft carries inert, practice Sidewinders on its wingtip rails.
The Kereru were delivered in a 'Lizard Scheme' - complete with new blue/red RNZAF roundels and fin flashes. This scheme differed from A-4K paint work in not being completely wrap-around and having individual aircraft numbers displayed on the fin. (Both types were later resprayed in all-over medium grey.)
