3x F-5A(G)'s were kept for quite a while afterwards to be used in the development of Kongsberg Defence’s new NSM - Naval Strike Missile, don’t think it ever tested that missile, but it would be cool. There are images of this development, but they are classified i am being told
Here is however, and image published wich shows the search head of the missile mounted on the wing on one of these 3 planes, fpr those interested
Penguin isn’t like Maverick and other Imaging Infra-Red missiles, so doesn’t use an imaging display in the cockpit to establish a lock before launch. It’s described as Pseudo-IIR and only uses the infrared seeker for autonomous terminal guidance.
Launching the missile towards a target position is done with the kind of nav/attack and radar ranging and azimuth systems used for conventional bombing - CCRP etc.
Could be structural stuff as well, hard to find information about, as something with the arrestor hook/mounting there on the hull was reinforced (probably no impact), the wings received plates with increased thickness (increased tructural stability, slightly better protection)
also someone told me the Drag Chute were apparently specially designed (cant find out how or why tough)
It’s just frustrating as someone who know it wouldn’t have the AIM-9L/I, because it gave people the wrong expectation for it. It has a lot of unique features trust me, but they have forgotten some. That’s why me and Dovre are here to try to inform.
I don’t know where you are from, but this is available at the Norwegian National Libary, of wich you only can access if you got a Norwegian ip adress. I can translate it trough google translate tough