The Aircraft That Replaced The C-2 Greyhound On Carrier Resupply Missions

The retirement of the U.S. Navy’s Grumman C-2A Greyhound ends a decades-long carrier onboard delivery (COD) era and shifts logistics toward the Bell CMV-22B tiltrotor. The article describes how the final two Greyhounds were trapped aboard the USS Nimitz for the last time. Critics note the CMV-22B’s 6,000-pound payload limit versus the Greyhound’s roughly 10,000 pounds, but the piece argues the Osprey improves overall operational capability. A key driver is payload fit: the F-35C’s F135 power module is about 3,750 pounds and reportedly cannot pass through the Greyhound cargo door without disassembly, while the CMV-22B’s wider bay can move it intact. The CMV-22B also aligns with Marine Corps MV-22B logistics and supports engine-module transport for F-35B and F-35C deployments.