The AGM-119B Kongsberg Penguin
Slated for the RAN’s ill-fated Kaman SH-2G Seasprite helicopters, and fitted with an Australian-manufactured warhead, the Penguin is a 1960s-era remarkably durable “shoot-and-scoot” high subsonic sea skimmer anti-ship missile.
Each Seasprite was planned to carry two missiles.
(Kongsberg graphic)
The highly respected “old ironworks” firm, Grumman Aerospace, joined with Kongsberg to develop the Penguin for use by the USN and other navies. Grumman designed the folding wings that make the weapon much more attractive for ship-board operations.
An 805 Squadron training round.
Meanwhile, most of the world’s armed forces, and particularly those in our area, are mounting anti-shipping missiles. New Zealand has purchased five Seasprites but they are mounting the Maverick missile. It may be good to see that instead of remaining mired in Cold War-General War philosophy, becoming the world’s most expert ASW nation by default, at last we are moving forward to match threats. If our potential terrorist-oriented enemies refuse to buy a submarine, all our ASW expertise, training and equipment may well be wasted.
Grumman “ironworks” contractor
The Penguin is rare in the sea-skimmer family in that not only does it have a “non-sensitive” (e.g., RADHAZ safe) warhead (manufactured in Australia) but also it can be released on any relative heading to fly high or low to any intermediate waypoint via independent internal inertial navigation guidance, then pop up or stay low to acquire and home on the target’s infra red emissions. The missile itself is immune to all known ECM and infra-red decoys because instead of homing on the hottest heat source, it seeks a preset heat differential, such as the difference in temperature between the sip’s side and its surrounding water. Penguin aims to hit the target’s waterline with a devastating 120 kg Semi Armour Piercing (SAP) warhead. The Australian Penguin warhead manufacturing deal was announced early in 2000.
Schematic cutaway view of the Penguin.
(Kongsberg graphic)
The Penguin Mk 2 Mod 7 has a range of 16 nm. Its length is three metres and it weighs 385 kg. It carries a SAP warhead of 120 kg and uses independent internal inertial navigation to approach the target through pre-planned waypoints. It has the flexibility to circle behind the target and attack from the “disengaged side” as perhaps a simultaneous-launched missile makes a more direct approach. It uses infra red for its final guidance. A “Super Penguin”, presently weighing more than 400 kg, is reportedly under development (http://www.kongsberg.com).