Kaman H-2
| Kaman H-2 Seasprite | |
|---|---|
 A US Navy SH-2F in 1983 |
|
| Type: | Multipurpose helicopter |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
2nd July 1959 |
| Commissioning: |
December 1962 |
| Number of pieces: |
261 |
The Kaman H-2 Seasprite is a multi-purpose military helicopter from the US helicopter manufacturer Kaman . The prototype made its first flight as the HU2K-1 on July 2, 1959 and was used in different versions until the last SH-2G was decommissioned in 2001.
In 1956 the US Navy wrote out an all-weather multi-purpose helicopter. It should serve for sea rescue on aircraft carriers, for artillery observation, reconnaissance, for courier flights and for the transport of the wounded. In the same year the Kaman Aircraft Corporation won the tender for its type K 20 and on November 29, 1957 received the order for four prototypes and the first twelve series machines. Originally the helicopter was called the HU2K-1 . After the standardization of the designation systems of the US armed forces in 1962 it became the UH-2A Seasprite . From December 1962 190 UH-2s were delivered, 88 UH-2A and 102 UH-2B. The UH-2B (in contrast to the UH-2A) could not be refueled in hover , but were later upgraded to the standard of the UH-2A. The UH-2A / B is powered by just one General Electric T58 engine and has a three-bladed tail rotor.
In 1965 a UH-2A was equipped with two T-58-GE-8B engines, which were now housed in two nacelles below the rotor. 40 UH-2A / B were then converted into UH-2C.
Six UH-2A were converted into HH-2C for the recovery of shot down crews from Vietnam. These corresponded to the UH-2C, but were additionally armored, received a four-bladed tail rotor, additional fuel tanks, a minigun with a caliber of 7.62 mm in a cannon turret under the cockpit and two more manually operated ones on the side windows. They also received 1,350 WPS T58-GE-8F engines and a main landing gear with double tires. The helicopters were used by the HC-7 Seadevils squadron in Vietnam.
67 further conversions from UH-2A / B corresponded to the HH-2C, but since they were unarmed, they were given the designation HH-2D.
In October 1970, the US Navy decided on the H-2 as a submarine helicopter on frigates (until 1976 "escort destroyer"), especially the Garcia class and the Knox class as well as the destroyers of the Spruance class and the cruisers the Belknap class . From 1960 to 1970, so-called DASH drones were used with little success . The replacement was the Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System ( LAMPS ) (light airborne multi-purpose system), with which submarines were to be fought beyond the horizon. Twenty SH-2D LAMPS I were equipped with a radome under the cockpit and received sonar buoys in a dispenser on the left side and a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) on the right side of the hull. Furthermore, two Mk.46 anti-submarine torpedoes could be carried. On December 7, 1971, the first mission of the HC-4 squadron began on board the guided missile cruiser USS Belknap (CG-26) .
In 1971/72 two helicopters were converted to YSH-2E with a large radome in front of the cockpit.
The SH-2D was actually followed by the SH-2F. They were similar to the SH-2D, but they were equipped with more powerful engines, a new rotor and improved avionics. The main difference between the SH-2F and the SH-2D is that the tail wheel is attached further forward. 16 SH-2D and 94 helicopters of the earlier versions were converted, 54 were newly built. The SH-2F were in service with the US Navy until 1993 and were replaced by the Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk .
The US Naval Reserve's HSL-84 and -94 squadrons received 16 SH-2G Super Seasprites in 1993 . These differ mainly in the General Electric T700- GE-401 / 401C engines and newer avionics.
Use in other countries
-
Egypt
- In 1995 Egypt ordered ten SH-2Gs with diving sonar, which were delivered from 1997.
-
Australia
- In 1997, Australia ordered eleven ex-USN helicopters, which were delivered from 2001. The one at No. 805 Squadron of the Australian Navy , a flight ban was issued in 2006 because of serious problems with flight stability and software. These issues should be resolved by 2011.
- At the beginning of March 2008, after rampant and already invested costs of A $ 986 million, the Australian government announced that it would completely discontinue this program. It would have cost a further A $ 1.3 billion to continue.
-
New Zealand
- New Zealand also ordered five new SH-2Gs that can fire AGM-65 Maverick missiles in 1997 . They are from the No. 6 Squadron of the RNZAF on the two frigates of the ANZAC class . The country also acquired ten of the copies not approved by Australia, but these are operated without the Australian special equipment. The delivery takes place in 2014/2015.
-
Peru
- In 2014, Peru ordered the five SH-2Gs from the New Zealand Navy for its navy, which are to be modernized by General Dynamics Canada before they go into operation.
-
Poland
- In 2002/03 Poland received four US Navy SH-2Gs for use by the Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates that had also been taken over .
Versions
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- YUH-2A (YHU2K-1)
- Prototypes, four were built.
- UH-2A (HU2K-1)
- Multipurpose helicopter with a 1,250 WPS (932 kW) General Electric T58-GE-8B engine. 84 were built.
- UH-2B
- UH-2A without the possibility of hovering refueling (was retrofitted later). 102 were built.
- UH-2C
- 40 UH-2A / B, which were equipped with two General Electric T58-GE-8B engines.
- NUH-2C
- Conversion of a UH-2C for test purposes that could fire AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles. Later referred to as NUH-2D.
- HH-2C
- Conversion of six UH-2Cs to armed and armored rescue helicopters for use in the Vietnam War. The armament consisted of a 7.62 mm minigun in a rotating turret.
- HH-2D
- Conversion of 67 UH-2A / B to unarmed and unarmored rescue helicopters.
- SH-2D
- Conversion of 20 H-2s into anti-submarine helicopters.
- YSH-2E
- Conversion of two H-2 to anti-submarine helicopters with large radar.
- SH-2F
- Anti-submarine helicopter with two 1,350 WPS (1,007 kW) General Electric T58-GE-8F engines. 54 were newly built, 110 were converted from previous versions.
- YSH-2G
- Conversion of an SH-2F as an SH-2G prototype.
- SH-2G Super Seasprite
- Anti- submarine helicopter with two 1,723 WPS (1,285 kW) General Electric T700 GE-401 engines. 17 were newly built. Nine SH-2F have been converted, Kaman continues to offer this.
Technical data (SH-2G)
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| crew | 3 |
| Rotor diameter | 13.50 m |
| length | 15.90 m |
| Hull length | 12.20 m |
| Trunk width | 3.73 m |
| height | 4.50 m |
| Height above tail rotor | 4.62 m |
| Empty mass | 3347 kg |
| Tank capacity | 1800 l |
| Takeoff mass | 6124 kg |
| drive | two General Electric T700 -GE-401 / 401C, each 1285 kW max. |
| Top speed | 265 km / h |
| Marching speed | 222 km / h |
| Service ceiling | 6220 m |
| Range | 1000 km |
Armament
- Movably installed barrel armament in side doors for gunner
- 2 × M144 ball mounts each with a 7.62 mm US Ordnance M60D machine gun with 200 rounds of ammunition
- Gun loading at two external load stations
- Air-to-surface guided missile
- 2 × Kongsberg AGM-119A "Penguin"
- 2 × LAU-117A launchers for 1 × Raytheon AGM-65F "Maverick" - infrared -controlled guided missile against ships
- 2 × Honeywell Mk.50 "Barracuda" light weight torch (diameter 324 mm)
- 2 × Mk.46 lightweight torpedo Alliant Techsystems (caliber 325 mm)
- Unguided bombs
- 2 × Mk.11 (160-kg water bomb )
- Unguided air-to-surface missiles
- 2 × LAU-61 / A rocket tube launch containers for 19 × unguided FFAR air-to-surface missiles each; Caliber 70 mm / 2.75 inch
Comparable naval helicopters
- AgustaBell AB-212ASW (Bell UH-1N "Twin Huey")
- Kamow 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
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Gordon Swanborough, Peter M. Bowers : United States Navy Aircraft since 1911. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis (Maryland) 1990, ISBN 0-87021-792-5 , pp. 282-285.
- ↑ http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/sea_sprite/