Penguin (missile)

The Penguin is a type of missile used by navies around the world. It is called AGM-119 by the U.S. military. This missile is made in Norway and uses a special device called a passive IR seeker to find its target.

It is designed to attack ships and can be used from airplanes or ships themselves. Because it can lock onto ships from a distance, it is very useful in naval battles. The Penguin is known for being accurate and reliable in hitting enemy vessels.

Overview

Penguin was developed in the early 1960s by scientists and engineers in Norway and Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk, with help from the U.S. and West Germany. It was the first NATO missile to use an IR seeker instead of radar. Since it started being made in 1972, both its hardware and software have been improved.

The Penguin missile can be fired from ships, airplanes, and helicopters. It is guided by a computer until it gets close to its target, then it homes in on its own. It has a warhead that explodes inside the target ship. The Penguin can be fired singly or in groups, and the ship or aircraft launching it can move away after firing.

The Penguin has several versions and can be used from many different kinds of vehicles, including missile boats, fighter planes like the F-16, and helicopters such as the Bell 412 SP, Kaman SH-2 Seasprite, Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk, and Westland Super Lynx.

Operators

In November 2022, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace announced that the Penguin Mk 2 mod 7 missile was being used by several countries, including Brazil, Greece, New Zealand, Spain, and Turkey. The United States Navy had stopped using this missile.

Current

• Brazil: Used by the Brazilian Navy in S-70B helicopters, bought for €33 million.
• Greece: Used by the Hellenic Navy since 1980.
• New Zealand: Used by the Royal New Zealand Navy in helicopters bought from the Royal Australian Navy, including Penguin Mk 2 Mod 7 missiles.
• Spain: Used by the Spanish Navy since 2003.
• Turkey: Used by the Turkish Navy since 1972.
• Ukraine: Used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2022, received as aid during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Former

• Norway: Used by the Royal Norwegian Navy and Royal Norwegian Air Force.
• Sweden: Used by the Swedish Navy from 1980 under the name Robot 12, but stopped using it in 2005.
• United States: Used by the United States Navy as the AGM-119 from 1994.