COD -- Carrioer On-Board Delivery
Everyone knows of the appreciated (but ugly) Grumman C-2 Greyhound Carrier On-Board Delivery planes for the American carriers. While some navies such as Brazil's have bought older Grumman C-1 Traders (often for upgrading) I don't recall any other navy buying Greyhounds.
What do other countries use? The Brits used a Gannet version for COD on their old carriers and there was a proposal to use a version of the HS.125 for COD for CVA.01. I don't think anyone is planning to have Gannet's flying off the Queen Elizabeth (if you could even find a flyable one!).
So what are the French doing for COD for the Charles de Gaulle? Anyone know what plans the RN has for COD for Queen Elizabeth?
Thank you.
During LYbia Campaign, USN C2 provided COD for CdeG from Hyeres Naval Air Station (Southern France).Originally Posted by NorthernDancer
Since C2 are getting a bit long in the teeth and USN is said to considering a replacement, I am pretty sure both RN and MN will be waiting for the new platform to come if they are going to buy a COD platform.
Had heard somewhere that France had taken a pair on lease, but Google doesn't appear to back that up.
Last I heard regarding the RN was "options are being examined".
Apart from the range, I think the V-22 could make a good COD aircraft.
We still have a lot of S-3 Vikings that can be converted.
But more than likely, the V-22 is a good platform for the job.
In fact not only the V-22 can do ship to shore, but ship to ship without changing aircraft at carriers.
But future carriers will have smaller airwings and more space for storage. Less frequency for deliveries.
E-mail probably eliminated much of the mail.
Helicopters.
C-1 range: 1,496 mi.
CH-53 range: 500 mi.
V-22 range: 2,230 mi
The advantage of the V-22 COD is that it could drop up and pick up with any ship.
And the V-22 is available. No need to develop a new aircraft in very limited numbers for a very specific role in times of ever decreasing defense budgets. Besides, the manufacturing line, training, maintenance and spares are already available. Another plus: it also comes with foldable wings and rotor blades.
Most of the mail is still delivered by C-2, don't forget about care packages. I doubt on the newer ones there will be a lower frequency of mail being delivered... You are correct in the e-mail part, but tons and tons of packages still get delivered to shipboard personnel all the time (dip, energy drinks, care-boxes, etc). On CVN's it's mostly by C-2s. But we still have the occasional H-53 for larger payloads (like engines, etc). Also the regular M/SH-60's would often deliver to us. Or sometimes just a regular RAS to get your package, but that is usually a "last resort" since it takes such a long time...
Smaller ships just rely on helo resupply... Obviously, I mean a C-2 isn't going to land on an FFG...
And how long is a carrier typically more than a couple of hundred miles from the coast? From an auxilliary?
If the logistics officer can't organise sufficient stores to keep the boat going until the next good stores opportunity, then he needs a size 12 steaming bat up his arse.
Per Wiki, the V-22 range isn't that good:
Range: 879 nmi (1,011 mi, 1,627 km)
Combat radius: 390 nmi (426 mi, 722 km)
Ferry range: 1,940 nmi (2,230 mi, 3,590 km) with auxiliary internal fuel tanks
As posted by santana & myself..
A USN C-2 Greyhound just landed on French Carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91). Mediterranean sea.
Visitors" on CDG Carrier. USN C-2 Greyhound.
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ATLANTIC OCEAN (Dec. 7, 2011) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Clarissa K. Quick signals to a C-2 Greyhound, assigned to Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40, as it launches from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). George H.W. Bush and the embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 conducted the fly-off of fixed wing aircraft as the ship completed its first combat deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Brian Read Castillo/Released)
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INDIAN OCEAN (July 22, 2011) Sailors move more than ten thousand pounds of mail delivered by two C-2A Greyhound aircraft assigned to Carrier Logistic Squadron (VA2) 115 aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). George Washington is participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011, a bilateral exercise intended to train Australian and U.S. Forces in planning and conducting combined task force operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Juan Pinalez/Released)
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PACIFIC OCEAN (April 6, 2008) Flight deck personnel direct a C-2A Greyhound assigned to the "Providers" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30 onto catapult one aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group is conducting composite training unit exercise preparing for an upcoming deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Joe Painter (Released)
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PACIFIC OCEAN (March 26, 2011) A C-2A Greyhound assigned to the Providers of Fleet Logistics Combat Support Squadron (VRC) 30 catapults from the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Ronald Reagan is operating off the coast of Japan to provide disaster relief and humanitarian assistance in support of Operation Tomodachi. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Michael Feddersen/Released)
Another option is to re-start the C-2 Production line with lighter composite features and more efficient engine.
Since the last new C-2 airframe was delivered in 1990, I am thinking that most of the tooling for those aircraft is long gone. The V-22, even with its high cost, is likely to be the cheapest option.
The C-2 is based on the E-2 Hawkeye.
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