Swedish Tp86 to be withdrawn from use

After 43 years of service, the Swedish Försvarets materielverk (FMV, Swedish Defence Material Administration) will withdraw their North American Sabreliner 40, also known as Tp86, in Q4-2023. The aircraft, serial 86001 (c/n 282-49), was bought on the civil market in 1980. It was originally built in 1965.

The Tp86 has participated in FMV's materiel development since the 1980s and has been a crucial asset for both the own EWS (Electronic Warfare System) testing for the Gripen and validation of the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) research. The aircraft has also participated in the Armed Forces' exercise and pilot training activities and in recent years has had permission for passenger transport.

The FMV has bought a replacement aircraft, Bombardier Learjet 60 M-ABSC (c/n 60-306) from Jet Aviation France SAS, on 25 May 2023. The Learjet arrived at Linköping/Malmen on 29 June 2023 after a flight from Opa Locka (FL), via St.John's International (Canada) and Keflavik (Iceland).

Sweden operated two Tp86 Sabreliners with the Försökscentralen (FC), which is part of the FMV. The other Tp86, serial 86002 (c/n 282-91) was already withdrawn from use in the early 2000s and is currently in use as an instructional airframe at the Institute of Technology Linköping University.

The new Learjet, which will be modified in the coming months, will most probably be military registered in due time.

Photo by Dino van Doorn (Scramble Archive)