C-2 Greyhound

The C-2 Greyhound is a twin-engine cargo aircraft, designed to carry mail and supplies to and from aircraft carriers of the United States Navy. Its primary mission is Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD).

The C-2 Greyhound, a derivative of the E-2 Hawkeye, shares wings and power plants with the E-2 Hawkeye, but has a widened fuselage with a rear loading ramp. The first of two prototypes flew in 1964 and production began the following year. It replaced the piston-engined C-1 Trader in the COD role. The original C-2A aircraft were overhauled to extend their operational life in 1973.

In 1984, the Navy ordered 39 new C-2A aircraft to replace older airframes. Dubbed the Reprocured C-2A (C-2A(R)) due to the similarity to the original, the new aircraft has airframe improvements and better avionics. The older C-2As were phased out in 1987, and the last of the new models was delivered in 1990.

Powered by two Allison T-56 turboprop engines, the C-2A can deliver up to 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg) of cargo, passengers or both. It can also carry litter patients in medical evacuation missions. A cage system or transport stand restrains cargo during carrier launch and landing. The large aft cargo ramp and door and a powered winch allow straight-in rear cargo loading and unloading for fast turnaround.

Its ability to airdrop supplies and personnel, fold its wings, and generate power for engine starting and other uses provide an operational versatility found in no other cargo aircraft.

The fact that this aircraft has four vertical stabilizers is due to aircraft carrier hangar deck height restrictions. Only three of these stabilizers have working rudders. For adequate directional control of an aircraft of this size, a single rudder would have been too tall. It also places the outboard rudder surfaces directly in line with the propeller wash, providing effective yaw control even as the plane's airspeed approaches zero, as during takeoff and landing.

Between November 1985 and February 1987, VR-24 (the former Navy Transport Squadron) and its seven reprocured C-2As demonstrated the aircraft's exceptional operational readiness. The squadron delivered 2,000,000 pounds (910 t) of cargo, 2,000,000 pounds (910 t) of mail and 14,000 passengers in the European and Mediterranean theatres. The C-2A(R) also served the carrier battle groups during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, as well as currently during Operation Enduring Freedom.

All 36 C-2A(R)s are undergoing a critical Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). The lifespan of the C-2A(R) was 10,000 hours total time, or 15,000 carrier landings; current plans require the C-2A to perform its mission supporting battle group operational readiness through 2015. The landing limit is quickly approaching for most of the airframes, and the SLEP will increase the Greyhound's projected life to 15,000 hours total time or 36,000 landings. Once the program is complete, it will allow the current 36 aircraft to operate until 2027. The SLEP includes structural improvements to the center wing, navigational upgrades including the addition of GPS and the dual CAINS II Navigation System, the addition of crash survivable flight incident recorders, and a Ground Proximity Warning System. The first upgraded C-2A(R) left NAVAIR Depot North Island on September 12, 2005, after sitting on the ground for three and a half years while the SLEP was developed and installed. A second airframe is currently nearing completion and it is anticipated that the remaining 34 aircraft will all undergo the SLEP upgrade within the next five years as operations and schedule permit.

The eight-bladed NP2000 propeller is another part of this upgrade and is expected to be installed by 2010.

The Common Support Aircraft was once considered as a replacement for the C-2, but failed to materialize. Currently, there are no plans to replace the C-2A(R) fleet, and no replacement aircraft are currently in development. As of September 2009, the USN was exploring a replacement aircraft for the C-2, including the V-22 Osprey.

The Grumman C-2 Greyhound was part of the relay of supplies to the passengers of the dead-in-the-water Carnival Splendor. Food was airfreighted by the C-2 from the shore to the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan and then helicoptered to Carnival Splendor.