Kaman SH-2 Seasprite

The Kaman H-2 Seasprite is a military utility helicopter of U.S. origin. The model completed its first flight on July 2, 1959 as HU2K -1 and is used to this day in different versions.

Use in the U.S. Navy

1956 wrote the U.S. Navy from an all-weather -capable multi-role helicopter. It was intended to rescue at sea on aircraft carriers, for artillery observation, reconnaissance, courier flights and transportation of casualties. In the same year the Kaman Aircraft Corporation won the tender with their type K 20 and received on 29 November 1957 order for four prototypes and the first twelve series machines. Initially, the helicopter has been referred to as HU2K -1. After the unification of the designation systems of the U.S. armed forces in 1962 it became the UH -2A Seasprite. From December 1962 190 UH -2 were delivered 88 UH -2A and UH -2B 102. The UH -2B could not be refueled (as opposed to UH -2A ) in hover, but were later upgraded to the standard of the UH -2A. The UH- 2A / B was recognized mainly because they only had a General Electric T58 engine and a three-bladed tail rotor.

1965, a UH- 2A was equipped with two T -58- GE -8B engines that were now housed in two nacelles below the rotor. 40 UH- 2A / B were then converted to UH- 2C.

To rescue downed crews from Vietnam six UH -2A in HH -2C were converted. This corresponded to the UH -2C, but were also armored, received a four-wing tail rotor, additional fuel tanks, a 7.62mm minigun in a cannon tower under the cockpit and two other hand-operated on the side windows. In addition, they received 1,350 WPS T58 -GE- 8F engines and a frosted double main gear. The helicopters were used by the squadron HC -7 Seadevils in Vietnam.

67 more conversions from UH- 2A / B corresponded to the HH -2C, as they were unarmed but they received the designation HH- 2D.

In October 1970, the U.S. Navy chose the H -2 as anti-submarine helicopters on frigates ( to 1976 " destroyer escort " ), especially the Garcia class and the Knox - class as well as the destroyers of the Spruance - class and the cruisers the Belknap class. 1960-1970 had used so-called DASH drones with little success. To replace the Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System was used ( LAMPS ) (light, air -based multi-purpose system ), should be fought beyond the horizon with the U- boats. 20 SH -2D LAMPS I were equipped with a radome at the cockpit, as well as sonar buoys on the left side and a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) to the right side of the fuselage. Furthermore, were two Mk 46 anti-submarine torpedoes are carried. On December 7, 1971, the first mission trip of the season HC -4 aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Belknap (CG -26) began.

1971/72 they built two helicopters to YSH -2E with a large radome front of the cockpit to.

On the SH -2D but actually followed the SH- 2F. They were like the SH -2D, but they were with more powerful engines, a new rotor equipped and improved avionics. One can distinguish the SH- 2F mainly because of the SH -2D, that the tail wheel is mounted further forward. 16 SH -2D and 94 helicopters of the earlier versions have been modified, 54 were newly built. The SH- 2F were replaced by 1993 with the U.S. Navy in the use and were replaced by the Sikorsky SH -60B Seahawk.

The squadrons HSL -84 and -94 of the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1993 received 16 SH -2G Super Seasprite. These differ primarily by the General Electric T700-GE-401/401C-Triebwerke and a newer avionics.

Use in other countries

1997 Australia ordered eleven ex- USN helicopters that were delivered from 2001. The case of the no. 805 Squadron of the Australian Marine helicopters used in 2006 was a flight ban issued since serious problems with the flight and stability of the software occurred. These problems should be resolved by 2011. In early March 2008, after escalating and already invested cost of 986 million A $, the Australian government announced to discontinue this program completely. A continuation would have expected to cost A $ 1.3bn.

New Zealand has also ordered five 1997 new SH -2G, which can fire AGM-65 Maverick missiles. They are of the no. 6 Squadron RNZAF used on the two frigates of the ANZAC class.

1995 Egypt ordered ten SH- 2G with dipping sonar, which were delivered in 1997.

2002/ 03 Poland received four SH -2G in the U.S. Navy for use by the frigates, also adopted the Oliver Hazard Perry class.

Versions

Technical data ( SH- 2G)

Arming

  • 2 x M144 - Ball mounting, each with a 7.62 mm machine gun U.S. Ordnance M60D with 200 rounds of ammunition
  • 2 × Kongsberg AGM- 119A " Penguin"
  • 2 × LAU -117A - start rail carrier for 1 × Raytheon AGM- 65F "Maverick" - infrared controlled missiles against ships
  • 2 × Honeywell Mk.50 " Barracuda " lightweight Torpdeo (diameter 324 mm )
  • Alliant Techsystems 2 × Mk.46 Lightweight Torpedo (caliber 325 mm)
  • 2 × Mk.11 (160 -kg depth charge )
  • 2 × LAU-61/A-Raketen-Rohrstartbehältern for each 19 × unguided FFAR air - to-surface missiles; Caliber 70 mm / 2.75 inch

Comparable Navy helicopter

  • AgustaBell AB 212ASW ( Bell UH -1N "Twin Huey " )
  • Kamov Ka - 27PL "Helix -A"
  • Mil Mi- 14pl " Haze -A"
  • Sikorsky SH- 3D " Sea King " (S- 61)
  • Sikorsky SH -60B " Seahawk "
  • Westland " Lynx" HAS Mk.3
  • List of helicopters
Garcia-class frigate Knox-class frigate Spruance-class destroyer Belknap-class cruiser Gyrodyne QH-50 DASH Anzac-class frigate Mark-50-Torpedo Mark 46 torpedo Mil Mi-14 Hiller YH-32 Hornet Sikorsky R-6 Sikorsky R-4 Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight Piasecki H-21 Sikorsky HH-52 Seaguard Bell 47 Boeing CH-47 Chinook Sud-Ouest Djinn Brantly B-2 Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 De Lackner HZ-1 Aerocycle Kaman K-225 Bell XV-3 McDonnell XV-1 Bell OH-58 Kiowa Bell YAH-63 Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel Boeing AH-6
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