Kaman SH-2 Seasprite / Super Seasprite

History of Kaman SH-2 Seasprite / Super Seasprite

The Kaman SH-2 Seasprite helicopter has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in the navies of several countries around the world, although the system is primarily associated with service with the United States Navy. She started out as a service-oriented system tasked with rescuing downed pilots at sea, but her role evolved considerably midway through her tenure as a submarine hunter.

At least 200 of this naval-type utility helicopter were built, many of which have been converted or upgraded to other more powerful and useful forms.

Demand and Development

In 1956, the United States Navy (USN) needed an all-weather, multi-purpose maritime helicopter. After evaluating the available entries, the K-20 model was selected for further development by the Kaman Aircraft Company (Kaman Aerospace, Bloomfield, Connecticut), and a contract was awarded in 1957. The K-20 model is powered by a single engine (a General Electric T58-8F turboshaft) and has a traditional helicopter design with a four-blade main rotor and a four-blade tail rotor, the latter protruding from the port side of the aircraft's tail. Kaman provided four K-20 YHU2K-1 prototypes for evaluation, followed by twelve production-quality models.

A long period of time containing various attempts revolved around YHU2K-1. The process of helping flesh out major (and minor) kinks in a helicopter design often requires more testing than its fixed-wing counterparts. The first flight took place on July 2, 1959. The system was subsequently assigned the production designation "HU2K-1 Seasprite" and officially began appearing in US Navy inventory in December 1962. By this time, the aircraft nomenclature system in the United States had changed.

Modify the name of almost any existing aircraft - whether it's the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, or U.S. Marine Corps. Therefore, the HU2K-1 is now referred to as the "UH-2B Seasprite". Likewise, the successor, the HU2K-1U, is now known as the UH-2B.

Kaman SH-2F Seasprite Walk around

Despite the conventional layout, the Kaman Seasprite (using the SH-2F as our visual model) retains a distinctly unique look compared to USN's helicopters before and after the introduction of the Seasprite. Beneath the cockpit floor is a prominent cylindrical bracket that houses the appropriate sensors.

She features a short nose arrangement in front of the window cockpit. The cockpit is operated by two people sitting side by side, with redundant controls. Entry doors are located on either side of the front cockpit, and these systems are accessed by sliding back. Overall, there is a standard three-person crew consisting of the pilot, co-pilot and sensor operator (SENSO).

The first officer also serves as the Tactical Coordinator (TACCO). The crew compartment is located directly behind the cockpit and occupies a large portion of the interior of the fuselage. Access doors with windows were opened to allow passengers and specialists to board and disembark.

In its twin-engine configuration (after 1968), the twin engines were mounted high in the crew compartment area, with each engine attached to the side of the rotor base housing. The engine nacelles are tubular and run the full length of the crew compartment ceiling.

The rear wing is supported by a stout fin that is covered with a vertical fin. The horizontal plane is deeply attached to each side of the caudal fin. The main rotor is a four-blade design, while the tail rotor - mounted at the end of the vertical tail on the port side of the aircraft - has four blades. The landing gear was (to some extent) retractable and consisted of two main landing gear struts that had a dual-wheel arrangement, and a single-wheel tail-wheel strut attached to the bottom of the tail. The main legs retract to the sides and under the fuselage, while the tail wheel legs remain stationary.

Special surface warfare equipment and weapons can be carried along two short pylon hardpoints mounted on either side of the hull (under the crew hatch and aft).

Armed

Kraken expanded her mission range from her initial search and rescue capability, being released to deploy a pair of Mk 46 or Mk 50 torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare. Those Krakens that are not in the U.S. Navy also use anti-ship missiles and other air-to-surface missiles.

Some Search & Rescue models even feature a small chin-mounted machine gun turret.

Power and Performance

Although their powerplants evolved throughout their lives, they were all GE-branded turboshafts. The UH-2A is equipped with one 1,250 shp T58-GE-8B series turboshaft, while the UH-2F is equipped with two 1,350 shp T58-GE-8F turboshafts. The successor SH-2G's twin T700-GE-401 series turboshaft engines with 1,723 shaft horsepower outperformed them all.

The range has above-average performance, with a top speed of around 160 mph and a range of around 670 to 870 miles, depending on the model. Their service cap is below 20,000 feet, specifically listed as 17,400 feet for the UH-2A model and 18,000 feet for the SH-2G model.

Running

Once in service, the UH-2 is operated by US aircraft carriers and used for their unique Search and Rescue (SAR) talent. Beginning in 1968, two General Electric T58 series turboshaft engines were installed to increase the overall power and handling capabilities of the Seasprite at sea.

In 1970, the role of the UH-2 was expanded to include it in the Light Airborne Multipurpose System (LAMPS) program. The program is designed to provide anti-submarine warfare (ASW) system capabilities to Navy ships, especially those without fixed-wing flight capabilities. These U.S. Navy ships can then retain armed Sea Spirits and release them to enemy submarines and surface combatants when needed, extending the offensive and defensive reach of virtually all U.S.

Navy surface ships capable of using Sea Spirit land. UH-2 Seasprites rebuilt with the newly developed (albeit preliminary) LAMPS package are now designated "SH-2D".

The LAMPS program adds a number of advanced components to the UH-2 base. The new SH-2D offers a pair of new, more powerful "eyes in the sky," thanks to its sensor and processing equipment battery pack that works with systems already used on surface ships. Further refinements lead to better engines, improved rotors and increased MTOW. Defense bubbles around USN surface ships with Seasprites are now significantly increased.

The new SH-2 system with LAMPS was named SH-2F and began shipping in 1973. In 1981, the US Navy purchased an additional 60 SH-2Fs, and the FLIR (along with an upgraded self-defense and detection suite) was officially customized in late 1987. The SH-2F model quickly became the preferred Seasprite model in the US Navy inventory, most of which were stock upgrades/modifications to this new standard. Production of this version ended in 1986.

The last SH-2 (SH-2G) in service with the US Navy was retired in 2001.

During her tenure, the U.S. Navy took an active part in military operations with the Kraken in Operation Sincere Will (1987), the U.S.

Navy confronted the Iranian Navy in Operation Mantis, and again brought the U.S. to Iran ( 1988) and "Operation" confronting the desert launched Storm (1991), this time a coalition of members working to drive Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait.

Seasprite production and variants

There are several variants of the SH-2, starting with the four YHU2K-1 prototype models. It was followed by the HU2K-1 production utility transport model, of which 88 were delivered. After a US military designation change in 1962, the HU2K-1 became the UH-2A.

This is followed by 102 UH-2B utility transport types. The H-2 Tomahawk became the prototype attack helicopter model for the base production UH-2A. Only one example exists and was evaluated by the U.S. Army in 1963, with plans to order approximately 220 systems to support continued support of the Bell UH-1 "Huey" series.

The UH-2C, used to designate the UH-2A and UH-2B production models, is now equipped with a pair of General Electric T58-GE-8B turboshaft engines. About 40 transitions were made to this new standard. The NUH-2C is used to designate an improved UH-2C Seasprite test platform equipped to fire AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range and AIM-7 Sparrow medium-range air-to-air missiles. NUH-2D is identical to NUH-2C under the new name. The HH-2C is a dedicated Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopter, of which there are currently six.

Interestingly, they have a powered turret in the lower part of the forward fuselage that houses a Gatling-type revolving machine gun system. Similar in size but without any weapons, the HH-2D was a total of 67 prototypes, converted from UH-2A and UH-2B production models. The SH-2D is a dedicated anti-submarine (ASW) type convertible into 20 previous production systems. The YSH-2E serves as a pair of evaluation platforms for testing LAMPS and the new radar.

The SH-2F became another dedicated ASW variant, but with a pair of General Electric T58-GE-8F turboshaft engines rated at 1,350 shaft horsepower. Most are modifications of existing SH-2D production models, all of which were retired from the US Navy in October 1993. The YSH-2G is a one-off prototype based on the SH-2F. The SH-2G "Super Kraken" is Kaman's current anti-submarine warfare variant, now powered by two General Electric T700-GE-401 series turboshaft engines.

She is billed as a multi-mission, all-weather, day/night platform with unmatched reliability and handling.

End of line

The Seasprite was more or less replaced in US Navy service by the Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk, a navalized version of the US Army UH-60 Black Hawk series. The retirement of the Kraken coincides with the retirement of the U.S.

Navy's Knox-class frigates, as these ships are not suitable for the newer and larger Seahawks. New Zealand received some ex-US Navy Kraken and used them with 6th Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Some saw action with RNZAF in the former Portuguese colony of East Timor.

Operators of the greatly improved SH-2G "Super Kraken" include the Egyptian Navy, the Polish Navy, Australia (previous operator), New Zealand and the United States.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes