One hundred years in the air – a journey of courage, technology and Swedish engineering

In 1925, the Riksdag made a decision that would change Sweden's defense forever: The Air Force was born as its own defense branch. From a handful of aircraft to one of the world's strongest air forces in the 1950s, with around 1,000 aircraft and 17 flotillas – and on to today's high-tech defense branch – an important component of NATO.

This anniversary book, published by the Royal Swedish Academy of Military Sciences, depicts the development of the Air Force from 1926 to the present day from several perspectives: the technical springboard that has made Sweden a world leader in aerospace and sensor technology, the unique Swedish model where research, industry and the armed forces meet, and the people whose skill and leadership have made the Swedish Air Force an international role model.

But the book also looks ahead – towards unmanned systems, AI and space as a new arena. This at a time when the security situation in our part of the world is more challenging than it has been in decades.

A book for anyone who wants to understand how Sweden built a world-class air force – and where the journey is headed next.