Seasprite was originally conceived as a small-ships, single engined combat search and rescue airframe for the
US Navy. The prototype first flew on 2 Jul 1959. 184 UH-2A/B were built between 1961 and 1963. Between 1967 and 1970 most were upgraded to UH-2C or HH-2C by retrofit of twin 1250 SHP T58-GE-8B turboshaft engines. Further modifications to LAMPS-1 standard in 1973 for some airframes. Upgrades to ASW equipped SH-3D for further airframes. Production restarted in 1981 in response to President Reagans 600 ship fleet inititative and the delay to the
SH-60B Seahawk, with more powerful (1350 SHP) T58-GE-8F twin engines and the Kaman 101 rotor system which became the SH-2F. All remaining US Navy -C models have been upgraded to -F.
Plans announced in 1985 to provide an improved version of the Kaman SH-2 Seasprite, mainly for the us export market (initially for south korea and taiwan). By 2001, airframes were in use in Australia, Egypt, New Zealand and Poland.
The SH-2G
Super Seasprite has improved twin GE T700-GE-401 turboshaft engines.
| Model | Year | History |
| YHU2K-1 | 1958 | Kaman proposed the Model K-20 to fulfill the light utility role for the US Navy in 1957 and won! The Kaman design featured four blades on the ma ...
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| UH-2A | 1959 | Kaman built 84 Model K-20 HU2K-1 (UH-2A) Seasprite light utility helicopters for the US Navy from 1958-1960, before production switched to the im ...
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| UH-2B | 1960 | Kaman built 102 Model K-20 HU2K-1U (UH-2B) light utility helicopters for the US Navy from 1960-1962. Survivors were subsequently converted to UH- ...
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| UH-2C | 1965 | Total of 41 UH-2A & UH-2B twin-engined upgrade conversions starting in 1965, with UH-2A 147981 serving as the prototype.
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| HH-2D | 1968 | |
| SH-2D | 1970 | |
| YSH-2E | 1971 | Two Seasprites were converted to YSH-2E LAMPS II configuration. YSH-2E 149033 was one of two tested by HSL-31 in 1972 aboard USS Fox (DLG-33). T ...
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| SH-2F Seasprite | 1973 | The SH-2F consists of an upgrade to existing UH-2C, HH-2D and SH-2D which includes a very low vibration rotor system, improved LN 66HP radar and ...
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| SH-2G | 1985 | |
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