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U.S. Navy May Have Selected Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey for COD Carrier On-Board Delivery Missions

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Naval Forces News - USA
 
 
 
U.S. Navy May Have Selected Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey for COD Carrier On-Board Delivery Missions
 
The U.S. Navy has probably selected the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor made by Bell-Boeing to replace the Northrop Grumman C-2A Greyhound for carrier onboard delivery (COD) missions. Breaking Defense was the first to mention a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on January 5th by Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations and Marine Corps Commandant stipulating that the U.S. Navy will buy four V-22s each year from 2018 to 2020.
     
The U.S. Navy has probably selected the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor made by Bell-Boeing to replace the Northrop Grumman C-2A Greyhound for carrier onboard delivery (COD) missions. Breaking Defense was the first to mention a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on January 5th by Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations and Marine Corps Commandant stipulating that the U.S. Navy will buy four V-22s each year from 2018 to 2020.
A sailor provides landing signal directions for an MV-22B Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 to land aboard the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), Aug. 22, 2011. The aircraft was transferring an AV-8B Harrier engine, the first time this type of lift has been conducted at sea by an MV-22B. The Osprey can carry external loads suspended underneath the aircraft at up to 200 knots. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication 3rd Class James Turner
     
The final decision on the selected aircraft is expected to be announced in February. There are three candidates for the replacement of the C-2A Greyhound (the current aircraft). In addition to the V-22 the two other candidates are:
- Lockheed Martin's S-3 Viking. The U.S. Navy retired the S-3 in 2009 but Lockheed (the original manufacturer) plan is to take the S-3 Viking out of storage and modify them for COD missions.
- Northrop Grumman C-2 Greyhound modernisation. Northrop Grumman proposes to modernize the current C-2As with avionics, engines and wings from the E-2D Hawkeye currently in production.
     
The U.S. Navy has probably selected the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor made by Bell-Boeing to replace the Northrop Grumman C-2A Greyhound for carrier onboard delivery (COD) missions. Breaking Defense was the first to mention a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on January 5th by Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations and Marine Corps Commandant stipulating that the U.S. Navy will buy four V-22s each year from 2018 to 2020.
Scale model of a U.S. Navy HV-22 Osprey on display during Sea-Air-Space 2014
     
If selected by the U.S. Navy, the V-22 would be specifically modified for COD duties and be nammed HV-22. They would be owned by the operated by the U.S. Navy, probabbly by the fleet logistic support squadrons currently flying the C-2 Greyhound.

Prototype C-2s first flew in 1964 and production followed the next year. The initial Greyhound aircraft were overhauled in 1973. In 1984, more C-2As were ordered under the name Reprocured C-2A or C-2A(R). Similar to E-2C Hawkeyes, the C-2As received a further update consisting in eight-bladded propellers.
     
The U.S. Navy has probably selected the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor made by Bell-Boeing to replace the Northrop Grumman C-2A Greyhound for carrier onboard delivery (COD) missions. Breaking Defense was the first to mention a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on January 5th by Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations and Marine Corps Commandant stipulating that the U.S. Navy will buy four V-22s each year from 2018 to 2020.
Poster on display at the Boeing booth during Sea-Air-Space 2014 showing F-35's F-135 engine power module carry solution
     

One of the key requirement of the new COD platform is the abbility to transport the F-135 engine for the F-35C Lightning II / Joint Strike Fighter. The above picture shows two solutions for loading the "engine power module" inside the V-22 cargo bay: one with a pallet railer, the other with extended cargo rails.

One advantage of the V-22 tilt-rotor aircraft over its competitors would be its ability to conduct COD missions for big deck amphibious ships such as the America class LHAs or Wasp class LHDs. Another advantage is that a U.S. Navy V-22 could conduct VERTREP (Vertical replenishment) missions in addition to the COD missions.

A Boeing representative told Navy Recognition during Sea-Air-Space 2014 that the V-22 could transport a F-35B engine, with the lift fan element being sling loaded.
     
The U.S. Navy has probably selected the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor made by Bell-Boeing to replace the Northrop Grumman C-2A Greyhound for carrier onboard delivery (COD) missions. Breaking Defense was the first to mention a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on January 5th by Secretary of the Navy, Chief of Naval Operations and Marine Corps Commandant stipulating that the U.S. Navy will buy four V-22s each year from 2018 to 2020.
An MV-22 demonstrating its ability to operate from a T-AKE cargo ship. Picture: US Navy