Princess shows her mettle as she takes to skies in fighter jet

Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, took to the skies as she boarded a fighter jet as part of her officer training, sitting in the cockpit behind the pilot's seat while wearing a pilot's uniform.

According to a press release, during the autumn, "Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess has complemented her officer training within the Swedish Armed Forces with an in-depth study of the Air Force’s operations."

Multiple photos of the Duchess of Västergötland and a video were shared on the official Instagram account of the Swedish royal family on Tuesday.

The press release said, the Air Force Air Simulation Centre (FLSC) provided an understanding of a pilot’s reality and the nature of air combat. Under the guidance of a fighter controller, The Crown Princess flew a simulated mission herself. 

After training in how the Air Force commands, plans, and conducts its air operations, The Crown Princess met with the fighter squadron and took part in a flight during a training mission. 

A four-ship formation carried out air combat and defended against two hostile aircraft attempting to attack Swedish bridges.

Part of The Crown Princess’s time with the Air Force included a visit to the Air Defence Regiment in Halmstad, with training in air defence and an introduction to NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence system (IAMD). The Crown Princess was shown the Patriot system, tried various simulators, and named an air command and control centre.