SH-2 Seasprite

The SH-2G Seasprite is a United States Navy ship-based helicopter with anti-submarine, anti-surface threat capability, including over-the-horizon targeting. This aircraft extends and increases shipboard sensor and weapon capabilities against several types of enemy threats, including submarines of all types, surface ships, and patrol craft that may be armed with anti-ship missiles.

The Seasprite's primary missions include anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, anti-ship missile defense, and anti-ship surveillance and targeting. Secondary missions may include medical evacuation, search and rescue, personal and cargo transfer, as well as small boat interdiction, amphibious assault air support, gun fire spotting, mine detection and battle damage assessment.

Background: The H-2 originally entered Naval service as the Kaman HU2K-1, a single-engine light utility helicopter primarily deployed aboard aircraft carriers in a Search-and-Rescue (SAR) role. When the aircraft numbering system was changed in 1962, the HU2K-1 was redesignated the UH-2A and the HU2K-1U was redesignated UH-2B. The airframe continued to undergo upgrades, most significantly the addition of a second engine and external stores stations, and the HH-2D was selected to be the airframe for the Light Airborne Multi Purpose System (LAMPS) when the program was stood up in 1972. LAMPS evolved in the late 60's from an urgent requirement to develop a manned helicopter that would support a non-aviation ship and serve as its tactical Anti-Submarine Warfare arm. Known as LAMPS Mk I, the advanced sensors, processors, and display capabilities aboard the helicopter enabled ships to extend their situational awareness beyond the line-of-sight limitations that hamper shipboard radars and the short distances for acoustic detection and prosecution of underwater threats associated with hull-mounted sonars. H-2s reconfigured for the LAMPS mission were redesignated SH-2Ds. The first operational SH-2D/LAMPS helicopter embarked on the USS Belknap (CG-26) in December 1971. Eventually all but two H-2s in the Navy inventory were remanufactured into SH-2Fs, and 59 SH-2Fs were built from the ground up in the 1980s. The final production procurement of the SH-2F was in Fiscal Year 1986. The SH-2F was retired from active service in in the late 1990s. Some late-production SH-2Fs were either completed as, or have been converted to, SH-2Gs.

The SH-2G Super Seasprite is currently in active service with the Royal Australian Navy, the Royal New Zealand Navy, the Polish Navy, and the Egyptian Navy.

General Characteristics

• Primary Function: ASW, ASuW, ASMD, ASST
• Contractor: Kaman
• Unit Cost: $26 million (SH-2G)
  $16 million (SH-2F)
• Propulsion: Two T700-GE-401/401C turboshaft engines (SH-2G)
  Two T58-GE-8F turboshaft engines (SH-2F)
• Length: 52 ft 9 in (15.9 m)
• Fuselage length: 40 ft 6 in (12.2 m)
• Height: 15 ft (4.5 m)
• Weight: 9,110 lb (4,100 kg) empty
• Maximum Takeoff Weight: 13,500 lb (6075 kg) normal takeoff
• Range: over 340 nautical miles (390 statute miles, 630 km) with maximum fuel
• Ceiling: 10,000 ft (3,000 m) at 13,500 lb (6,075 kg) (SH-2G)
  11,850 ft (3,600 m) at 13,500 lb (6,075 kg) (SH-2F)
• Speed: 150 knots maximum (170 mph, 280 km/h) (SH-2G)
  133 knots maximum (153 mph, 245 km/h) (SH-2F)
• Crew: Three
• Armament: Two Mk 46 or Mk 50 torpedoes
• Date Deployed:
  • First flight: July 2, 1959 (HU2K-1)
  • Operational: December 1962 (HU2K-1)

• Ray Trygstad: Naval Officer: The SH-2F Seasprite
• Naval-Technology.com: SH-2G Super Seasprite
• Seasprite Central