The Cessna Titan, originally called the Model 404, flew for the first time in 1975. It was designed for the civil market and is capable to operate from small airfields. It is much used as a feederliner and as a business aircraft. It can also be used as a transport aircraft. 

A Cessna Titan was leased by the Air Force from Swedair in 1982. This aircraft was operated by the Air Force for transport duties. It got the designation TP 87 and the Air Force number 87001. 

In the eighties the Swedish Navy got problems with foreign submarines frequently violating the Swedish territory. The Parliament decided to grant the Defence additional means to solve the situation. One effect was that the Air Force in 1983 was provided further one TP 87 (# 87002) - this Cessna was also leased from Swedair. The main task was to try-out suitable electronic equipment for detecting submarines at and under the surface. 

87002 was flown by a pilot from the Air Force, while the submarine detecting system was operated by the Navy. The electronic equipment included a radar system (ASR-360), a hyperbolic navigation system and an IR-scanner (VKA 702). The 87002 was used during the summer and fall of 1983, when many incidents with foreign submarines occurred in the Swedish territorial waters. A couple of years later, a CASA C-212 Aviocar (SH 89), with still more sophisticated electronic equipment was acquired. 

A third TP 87 Cessna Titan (# 87003) was leased by the Air Force in 1884. This aircraft was used for transport and liaison flights.   

# 87002, marked “Marinen” (“the Navy) is taken in July 1983 at Bromma.

# 87003 of the Air Force. Registered at F 17 at Kallinge. Photo taken at Ljungbyhed June 1986.

© Lars Henriksson

Updated 2010-03-22