OVERVIEW: The M/57 is an unguided 75mm air-to-ground rocket developed by Sweden for tactical deployment from jet aircraft. It is designed for short-range engagements using high-explosive fragmentation warheads, typically fired in salvos.

DETAILS: The M/57 (modell 1957) 75mm rocket was introduced by the Swedish Air Force as a standard unguided rocket system for its jet aircraft during the Cold War. The rocket features a solid-propellant motor and is spin-stabilized for improved in-flight stability. It is primarily equipped with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead intended to defeat soft targets, infantry positions. The M/57 is loaded into underwing rocket pods designated Rakkapsel m/57, which contain 19 rockets each and are electrically fired.

These rockets were deployed extensively on Swedish Draken variants. The unguided nature required visual targeting and was optimized for short-range burst engagements, typically from dive or frontal attack runs.

The M/57 was integrated using basic launch wiring through the aircraft’s pylon hardpoints and fired via the gunsight interface or a manual release system. The weapon was intended to deliver rapid saturation of target areas, compensating for its lack of guidance with volume of fire and wide fragmentation effect. It was widely used in training and operational readiness exercises during the Cold War but never employed in actual combat.

NOTE:
IOC: 1957
Operators: Sweden
Platforms: J 35D Draken, F 35XD, RF 35XD, SK 35C ...
Conflict used in: None (used in national defense and training missions during the Cold War)

SOURCE:
Swedish Air Force Museum: https://www.flygvapenmuseum.se ; Jane’s Air-Launched Weapons ; Försvarets Materielverk (FMV) ; DigitaltMuseum Sweden: https://digitaltmuseum.se/021026352021/raketkapsel-m57 ; Saab Group Historical Archives