Kaman Corp. is actively pursuing a number of helicopter projects worldwide, which is one reason there are none of the Connecticut-based company's rotorcraft on the static line here this week.

The first two reconditioned Kaman SH-2F Sea Sprites, upgraded and overhauled former U.S. Navy aircraft, now are operational with the Royal New Zealand Navy. Two more aircraft will follow soon. They will serve on an interim basis until more advanced SH-2G versions are delivered to New Zealand in 2000.

The first two international SH-2G deliveries were made in June to the Egyptian Air Force. Eight more are scheduled for hand-over by the end of next month. Three of these are seeing temporary duty at the Pensacola Naval Air station in Florida for training of Egyptian pilots and maintenance crews. A total of 20 Egyptian pilots, plus 10 sensor operators and eight maintenance crew, eventually will be trained.

The SH-2Gs will primarily be employed for land- and sea-based anti- submarine warfare, a new capability for the Egyptians. They also will be used for search and rescue, cargo transfer and other utility work.

In a recent NATO exercise off Newfoundland, Kaman's K-Max single engine utility helicopter served as an aerial test bed for Kaman's Magic Lantern Adaptation mine detector. This demonstration, plus an earlier one last year at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, using an SH-2 platform, was funded by the U.S. Navy's Office for Naval Research. The first test used an onboard operator to control the Magic Lantern, including real-time data downlinks.

In the K-Max tests, the sensor was controlled autonomously via the datalink. The intermeshing rotor helicopter also was operated in a surrogate drone role.

The laser-based Magic Lantern Adaptation has demonstrated its ability to detect mines in shallow water and surf zones where amphibious landings occur. ONR is interested in operating a Magic Latern-equipped helicopter in such a dangerous environment without a pilot.

In the commercial sector, the number of operators with multiple K-Max fleets now include: Superior Helicopters of Glendale Oregon; Mountain West Helicopters of Orem, Utah; Helog AG of Switzerland; Midwest Helicopters of Winnipeg, Canada; and Japan Royal Helicopter.

By Paul Proctor