The RAN will soon take delivery of the Penguin missile to be fitted to the Super Seasprite, according to the Australian Defence Materiel Organisation in its magazine On Target.

The Penguins will act as the primary offensive capability for the Seasprites and in turn provide a significant offensive weapon for the ANZACs.

DMO's Navy Aviation Project Office has undertaken the acquisition of the missiles for the RAN.

Manager Denis Hughes said the Penguins represent a whole new capability for the ADF which currently does not have helicopter-launched missiles.

"The Penguin missiles are being acquired for the Seasprites and the Seasprites are being acquired for the ANZAC ships," Mr Hughes said.

"Complementing this formidable weapon system with the sensor hardware already installed in the aircraft will ensure that the helicopter can detect and counter a wide range of threats.

"This essentially provides a new defence system to protect the ships."

The Kongsberg Mk2 Mod 7 Penguin air-to-surface missile is a digital missile and has a range over 30 kilometres.

According to Commander Australian Navy Aviation Group, CDRE Keith Eames, one of the major advantages of the Penguin warhead is its international rating as an insensitive munition.

"The RAN places a great deal of importance on the introduction of insensitive munitions," CDRE Eames said.

"Insensitive munitions decrease risk to staff, the ship carrying the weapon and the aircraft launching the weapon," CDRE Eames told On Target.

Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace of Norway has been contracted to deliver the missiles with a number of Australian sub-contractors providing support.

"It was a collaboration between the project office and Kongsberg in the formulation of the Australian Industry Involvement plan that brought about an environment where local industry was encouraged to manufacture certain parts of the missile, Mr Hughes said.

The Australian companies involved in this project include ADI (Mulwala) for the production of the warhead, Hawker de Havilland Components for the canards, Trimcast Pty Ltd for the storage of the wings and canards and ADP Industries Ltd, Auckland.

Mr Hughes said the Australian input to the project had been very good.

This is the case in Mulwala, Victoria said Mr Jean-Georges Malcor, the managing director of Penguin contractor ADI.

He said, "ADI's Mulwala facility is the sole worldwide source of warhead filling for the Penguin missile, and with Kongsberg, is supplying Mulwala warheads to NATO and other forces using the missile".

Deliveries of the missile are due to start soon with final deliveries expected in mid-2003.