The Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) celebrates its 100th anniversary throughout 2026 with ceremonies, concerts, commemorative events and flying displays across the country. The centennial honors a century of Swedish military aviation as an independent branch of the Swedish Armed Forces, recognizing the crews, technology, and traditions that have shaped one of Europe’s most modern air forces since its establishment in 1926.
(Image credit: Emil Skoglund via Stockholm i Bilder/Lorenzo Lissoni)
The national anniversary was highlighted on July 1st in Sweden’s capital, Stockholm, where military personnel, veterans, invited guests and the public gathered for a full day of celebrations. The day began with a memorial ceremony in the Air Force Memorial Hall at Tre Vapen, followed by another ceremony at the Pilots’ Monument in Karlaplan. From there, a traditional guard parade marched to Stockholm Palace, where the Changing of the Guard was accompanied by one of the day’s most anticipated moments: a ceremonial flyover above the Royal Palace.
From 12.50 PM through 1:00 PM, the impressive display featured 54 aircraft performing a sweep over central Stockholm. This small show of force, which counted with some of the most recent additions in the Swedish Air Force arsenal, such as the JAS 39 Grippen, also had its heritage aspect, with the branch making sure to bring on its tail some of its most emblematic birds, courtesy of the Swedish Air Force Historical Flight (SwAFHF).
(Image credit: Flygvapnet)
The main machines fielded by the SwAFHF during the event were formed into a diamond formation: leading it, an AJS 37 Viggen, an upgraded version of the original fighter-bomber AJ 37 that operated with the Swedish Air Force till 2007. The machine, black 52, is painted in the colors of the F 7 (Såtenäs) Wing. On the outer edges of the diamond were two other Cold War-era jet-powered warbirds, a J35 Draken and a J32 Lansen; the first, a J 35J that operated with F 10 (Ängelholm) Wing, still sports the colors of its original owners; the same can be said about the J32B, which is dressed in its camo pattern of the F 3 (Malmen) unit.
(Image credit: Filip Hoffmann via SwAFHF)
On the tail of the formation was the J29F Tunnan Gul Rudolf (Yellow Rudolf), the sole specimen of its type to be in flyable condition in the world. Delivered to the Swedish Air Force in April 1955, it remained on its ranks till 1968, after an interesting service life that spanned 1195 flying hours and operations in four different wings of the Flygvapnet (F 9, F 10, F 3 and F 20). Nowadays, the plane carries the marks from when it was acting alongside the F 10 (Ängelholm) Wing in the early 60s. Also mobilized for the event was a ‘wing’ of five piston-powered Saab Safir SK 50 trainers, that performed the flyover in V-shaped formation, which was closely followed by another pair of classic machines, a SK 61 Bulldog and a SK 16A (the Swedish designation for North American T-6 Texan).
(Image credit: Filip Hoffmann via SwAFHF)
Another highlight of the flyby was the Douglas C-47A-60-DL ‘Daisy’, serial number (c/n) 13883. Built in 1943, it boasts an enviable operational record, taking part in the Operations Neptune (the parachute drops over Normandy during the D-Day) and Market (airborne phase of the Market-Garden offensive). After the war, ‘Daisy’ was converted to an airliner, joining the ranks of the Scandinavian Airline System (SAS) in 1948 until it was sold to the Swedish Air Force in 1969. Since 1982, however, the plane has been under the care of Flygande Veteraner Association.
Fira med Flygvapnet 1 juli ✈️ Den 1 juli firar Flygvapnet 100 år med en jubileumsdag i Stockholm. Ett sekel med svensk militär flygverksamhet uppmärksammas med överflygningar, högvaktsavlösning, musikkårer och ceremoniella inslag i huvudstaden. 🎉 pic.twitter.com/7SjV8A57xP
— Flygvapnet (@flygvapnet) June 26, 2026
The centenary celebrations also recognized the Air Force’s deep historical roots in other cities, such as Uppsala. On June 30, solemn wreath-laying ceremonies were held in homage to the pilots of F 16 (operational) and F 20 (deactivated) units. The events honored generations of service members who contributed to Sweden’s air defense over the past century while highlighting Uppsala’s longstanding role in Swedish military aviation. F 16, known as Uppland’s Air Flotilla, has played a key role in the development and operations of the Swedish Air Force. The ceremony also emphasized the continued importance of the unit’s legacy as Sweden strengthens its defense capabilities in today’s changing European security environment.
(Image credit: Flygvapnet)
