C-2A Greyhound
The C-2A Greyhound is the U.S. Navy's carrier-onboard-delivery (COD) aircraft, providing critical logistics support.
Program Overview
The C-2A Greyhound is the U.S. Navy's carrier-onboard-delivery (COD) aircraft, providing critical logistics support. The C-2A can deliver a payload of up to 10,000 pounds. The cabin can readily accommodate cargo, passengers or both. It is also equipped to accept litter patients in medical evacuation missions. Priority cargo such as jet engines can be transported from shore to ship in a matter of hours. The large aft cargo ramp and door, and a powered winch, allow straight-in rear cargo loading and downloading for fast turnaround. The C-2A's open-ramp flight capability allows airdrop of supplies and personnel from a carrier-launched aircraft. This, plus its folding wings and an onboard auxiliary power unit for engine starting and ground power self-sufficiency in remote areas, provides an operational versatility found in no other cargo aircraft.
Program Objective
During a typical six-month peacetime aircraft carrier deployment, a two-aircraft C-2A detachment will accumulate approximately 1,000 flight hours, transport about 5,000 passengers and haul about one million pounds of cargo. C-2A Greyhounds with upgraded communications, navigation, and instrumentation packages will provide cost-effective, carrier-onboard-delivery well into this century. The fleet of US Navy C-2As are currently being outfitted with the same NP2000 eight-blade propellers that are also being used on the E-2 Hawkeye fleet.