Editing Kaman SH-2 Seasprite (section)

==Operational history==
===United States===
[[File:UH-2A HC-1 CVA-63 Mar1966.jpg|thumb|A UH-2A on plane guard duty hovers over the USS ''Kitty Hawk'' in March 1966.]] 
[[File:HH-2D Seasprite approaches USS W.S. Sims (DE-1059) during flight deck strength tests in September 1970.jpg|thumb|HH-2D, which was a search and rescue version, on approach in 1970]]

The UH-2 entered operational service with the USN in 1962.<ref name=Apostolo/> The single engine greatly restricted performance. Kaman was ordered to convert all of the Seasprites to a twin-engine configuration. The upgraded helicopters had a {{convert|130|kn|km/h}} airspeed and a {{convert|411|nmi|km}} operating range.<ref name = "McGowen 60"/> The USN operated nearly 200 Seasprites in multiple roles, including ASW, SAR, and utility transport.<ref name = "McGowen 60"/> Under typical operational conditions, USN [[aircraft carrier]] deployed with several UH-2s in the [[plane guard]] and SAR roles.<ref name=Frawley_Military/>

The UH-2 was introduced in time to see action in the [[Tonkin Gulf incident]] in August 1964. The Seasprite's main role in the [[Vietnam War]] was CSAR of downed aircrews at sea and overland, reliance on the Seasprite in this role increased as the conflict intensified, such as during [[Operation Rolling Thunder]] in 1965.<ref name = "Dunstan 152">Dunstan 2003, p. 152.</ref> During October 1966, helicopter-based SAR teams recovered 103 out of 269 downed pilots.<ref>Hearn 2005, p. 255.</ref>

During the 1970s, the conversion of UH-2s to the SH-2 anti-submarine configuration provided the U.S. Navy with its first dedicated ASW helicopter capable of operating from vessels other than its aircraft carriers. The compact size of the SH-2 allowed the type to be operated from flight decks that were too small for the majority of helicopters; this factor would later play a role in the U.S. Navy's decision to acquire the improved SH-2F during the early 1980s.<ref>Boyne 2002, p. 343.</ref>

The SH-2F fleet was utilized to enforce and support [[Operation Earnest Will]] in July 1987, [[Operation Praying Mantis]] in April 1988, and [[Operation Desert Storm]] during January 1991 in the [[Persian Gulf]] region.<ref>Chant 2001, p. 54.</ref> The countermeasures and additional equipment present upon the SH-2F allowed the type to conduct combat support and surface warfare missions within these hostile environments, which had an often-minimal submarine threat. In April 1994, the SH-2F was retired from active service with the U.S. Navy; the timing corresponded with the retirement of the last of the Vietnam-era [[Knox-class frigate]]s that were unable to accommodate the new and larger [[SH-60 Sea Hawk]]s, which were used to replace the aging Seasprites.

In 1991, the U.S. Navy had begun to receive deliveries of the new SH-2G Super Seasprite; a total of 18 converted SH-2Fs and 6 new-built SH-2Gs were produced.<ref>Endres and Gething 2005, p. 492.</ref> These were assigned to Naval Reserve squadrons, the SH-2G entered service with HSL-84 in 1993.<ref name=JAU_SH-2G>''Jane's Aircraft Upgrades''. Jane's Information Group, 2009. [http://www8.janes.com/Search/documentView.do?docId=/content1/janesdata/yb/jau/jau_1576.htm@current&pageSelected=allJanes&backPath=http://search.janes.com/Search&Prod_Name=JAU&keyword= (subscription article)]{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} posted 20 March 2009.</ref> The SH-2 served in some 600 deployments and flew 1.5 million flight hours before the last of the type were finally retired from US Navy service in mid-2001.<ref name=JAU_SH-2G/><ref>Stephens, Ernie. [http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/military/observation/Putting-the-&quotSuper%22-in-the-Kaman-Super-Seasprite_35381.html "Putting the "Super" in the Kaman Super Seasprite"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514053131/http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/military/observation/Putting-the-%26quotSuper%22-in-the-Kaman-Super-Seasprite_35381.html |date=2016-05-14 }}. ''Rotor & Wing'', 1 October 2009.</ref>

===New Zealand===

The [[Royal New Zealand Navy]] (RNZN) replaced its [[Westland Wasp]]s with an initial batch of four<ref>{{cite web |title=RNZN Kaman SH-2F Seasprite and SH-2G & Sh-2G(I) Super Seasprite |url=http://www.adf-serials.com/nz-serials/nzseasprite.htm|work=New Zealand military Aircraft Serials |access-date=6 February 2016}}</ref> interim SH-2F Seasprites (formerly operated by the U.S. Navy), operated and maintained by a mix of Navy and Air Force personnel known as [[No. 3 Squadron RNZAF]] Naval Support Flight, to operate with [[Anzac-class frigate|ANZAC class frigates]] until the fleet of five new [[Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite|SH-2G(NZ) Super Seasprite]]s were delivered. In October 2005, the Navy air element was transferred to [[No. 6 Squadron RNZAF]] at [[RNZAF Base Auckland]] in Whenuapai. RNZN Seasprites have seen service in [[East Timor]]. 10 of the 11 SH-2G(A)s rejected by the [[Royal Australian Navy]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Defence Business: Seasprite – what went wrong? |url=http://www.australiandefence.com.au/5FB79830-F807-11DD-8DFE0050568C22C9 |website=australiandefence.com.au |date=19 April 2013 |access-date=30 October 2016}}</ref> were purchased in 2014 to replace the five RNZN SH-2G(NZ) Seasprites that had required either a MLU (Mid Life Upgrade) or replacement due to corrosion issues, maintenance problems and obsolescence.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/new-zealand-struggles-with-seasprite-sustainment-361091/ | title=New Zealand struggles with Seasprite sustainment| date=2011-08-22}}</ref> Kaman modified the ex-Australian aircraft and renamed them SH-2G(I), with the last one being delivered to New Zealand in early 2016. Eight of the aircraft are flying with the ninth and tenth aircraft being attritional aircraft used for spares etc. The 11th aircraft is held by Kaman as a prototype and test aircraft.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.navy.mil.nz/mtf/fsac/naval-helicopter-replacement.htm |title = RNZN - Naval Helicopter Replacement}}</ref> The five SH-2G(NZ) have been sold to Peru.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://australianaviation.com.au/2014/12/nz-sells-soon-to-be-retired-seasprites-to-peru/ |title = NZ sells soon-to-be retired Seasprites to Peru|date = 2014-12-22}}</ref> A SH-2F (ex-RNZN, NZ3442) is preserved in the [[Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum]], donated to the museum by Kaman Aircraft Corporation after an accident while in service with the RNZN.

RNAF uses the [[FN MAG|FN Mag 58]] machine gun firing [[7.62×51mm NATO|7.62 mm]], and it was fielded by 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SH-2G Super Seasprite Anti-Submarine Helicopter |url=https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/sh2g-super-seasprite/ |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=Naval Technology |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Exports===
During the late 1990s, the United States decided to offer the surplus U.S. Navy SH-2Fs as [[foreign aid]] to a number of overseas countries. Among those to be offered the type included [[Greece]], which had been offered six, and [[Turkey]], which had been offered 14, but they rejected the offer.<ref name=assistance>{{cite web |title=Greece and Turkey: U.S Assistance Programs and Other Activities |url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-95-100/html/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-95-100.htm}}</ref><ref name="age">{{cite web |title=Canberra bought unwanted helicopters|date=28 April 2004 |url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/27/1082831569421.html}}</ref>

Egypt opted to acquire four SH-2F under this aid program, they were mainly used for spares in to support of their existing fleet of ten SH-2Gs.<ref name="age" /> In the early 2000s, Australia acquired the SH-2G model, with ten delivered by 2007,<ref name="Australian Feb 10-11 2005">{{cite news |last=Walters |first=Patrick |date=2007-02-10 |title=Seasprite headed for the junk pile |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21201454-601,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070212052756/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0%2C20867%2C21201454-601%2C00.html |archive-date=2007-02-12 |access-date=2007-02-11 |work=[[The Australian]] |publisher=[[News Corporation (1980–2013)|News Corporation]] |pages=1–2}}</ref> 11 had been ordered in the late 1990s, but they only served from 2003 to 2008; the RAN consolidated on using the SH-60 Seahawk and was launching the MRH-90 Taipan program at the time. Poland chose to acquire the later SH-2G variant.<ref name="age" /> Peru acquired Ex-RNZAF SH-2Gs and they entered service in the late 2010s.<ref name="Peru signs2">{{cite news |last1=Tantalean |first1=Cesar Cruz |date=9 October 2014 |title=Peru signs for SH-2G Super Seasprites |url=http://www.janes.com/article/44361/peru-signs-for-sh-2g-super-seasprites |access-date=12 October 2014 |work=IHS Jane's 360}}</ref>