In this week’s paper, we reported a story about how the Navy is thinking of making the V-22 Osprey the Navy’s next Carrier Onboard Delivery aircraft — colloquially known as the COD.
I had a chance to speak to a C-2 pilot this weekend, as I flew from Norfolk out to the carrier Harry S. Truman. The pilot noted some drawbacks for the Osprey — it has about half the range, it’s a little bit slower and it can’t pressurize its cabin.
The pilot said he’d love to see a completely new aircraft, specially engineered for the COD mission — but he agreed that’s probably not going to happen.
Over here at Navy Times, the biggest drawback we see to an Osprey COD would be depriving civilians of catapult-shot takeoffs and trap landings.
