Nope.
Posted on 01/14/2015 7:51:54 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Edited on 01/14/2015 8:08:37 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
In what is a highly controversial move, the US Navy has announced that it will procure tilt-rotor V-22 Ospreys to replace its venerable C-2A Greyhound Carrier On-board Delivery (COD) aircraft. Here's why it's such a terribly bad idea.
The C-2 Greyhound replacement saga has gone on for many years, but it has come to head in recent months with three main proposals being put forward as solutions. One would be to rebuild or build new C-2 Greyhounds based on the Navy's updated E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Airborne Early Waring and Control (AEW&C) aircraft. The Grumman E-2 is a developmental cousin of the C-2 dating back to the 1960s. The other two proposals included procuring tilt-rotor V-22 Osprey and a novel plan by Lockheed Martin to rebuild a portion of the defunct S-3B Viking fleet into COD aircraft, bringing the COD mission finally into the jet age. You can read an in depth report on all these options in this past Foxtrot Alpha feature.
I think the Greyhound has foldable wings that allow for a smaller footprint when it is stored on a carrier. I don’t think there’s much you can reduce in the Osprey’s footprint, can you?
Nope.
That’s a lot smaller than I’d have thought. I wonder how long it takes to put in stow mode?
The Navy or rather the Secretaries from SOD on down have been making stupid & damaging program changes in Naval Aviation since the days of Poppy & Cheney when the Tomcats were ended. This is just another added to the list. The C-2 were reliable and the design would still work. Ending the Hoovers was another stupid move.
That’s pretty good.....
Great question....the CH-53 Sea Stallion has a foldable rotor system, so why not on the V-22?
I think post #18 nails it. Neither A/C is a total replacement for the other. There’s politics afoot.
Yes, I don't know what the authors beefs are. The C-2 was a decent aircraft. (I did two tours flying the thing), but at least on Wikipedia information, the V-22 has many advantages. The Greyhound does have some better range, but the difference would likely only be a factor on shore to shore missions. Flights to and from the carriers were less than 500 miles - well within the published range of the V-22. The refueling capability of the V-22 could also be a plus. There is always a tanker overhead the carrier. (at least there used to be-I haven't been there in a while)
If I was a current C-2 guy I would be excited to do the transition.
Perhaps, if the plane is delivering a cargo of Styrofoam peanuts. But number of bodies or pounds of cargo, the Osprey appears to have the edge. Although speaking of volume, try slinging an oversized load under a Greyhound and let me know how that works out.
Could an Osprey take on additional roles besides COD? Could the same plane ferry troops onto a beach head, perform ASW or attack small craft?
The location: USS Nimitz, anchored in the Bay of Naples, Italy. A Navy CH-46 was bringing two hydraulic motors for the catapult's retraction engine slug underneath on some sort of pallet. Just why they were slung underneath, I don't know. Poor choice. About half way between land and the ship, you saw the pallet tilt awkwardly and then one of the motors went kerplunk. I thought our Maintenance Officer was going to have a stroke.
The advantages of the V22 are not in the base-to-carrier runs. They are in the tactical arena... fleet to shore in a combat environment, underway replenishment, and tactical troop delivery.
The C2 is for all intents and purposes a single mission platform.
The Osprey is not. While it may not be as robust in the COD role, the presence of more V22 in this forward deployed arena gives operational commanders more war fighting tools.
Not to mention the potential of being the tanker overhead.
I suspect a past or present link to Grumman or one of its suppliers. Doesn’t seem to be very easy to dig up a bio.
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