US Navy C-2A Greyhound makes final carrier arrested landing, ending 60-year COD mission

Published Jul 23, 04:36 PM UTC

The U.S. Navy's C-2A Greyhound, a 60-year-old carrier onboard delivery aircraft, made its final carrier landing at the end of June 2026, ending its mission as the Navy's only dedicated carrier delivery passenger plane. The aircraft, known as a 'dinosaur' for its lack of modern computers and manual flight controls, will be replaced by the CMV-22 Osprey tiltrotor. The last active squadron, VRC-40 based in Norfolk, Virginia, held a sundown ceremony on July 23, 2026. The final flight will transport the aircraft to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. The C-2 community was small, comprising less than 1% of naval aviators, with only 1,000-1,500 pilots having flown it since 1960. Pilots described the plane as challenging to fly but offering unique experiences, such as flying over the Omani Mountains at sunset. The aircraft could carry up to 28 passengers and was known for its harsh arrested landings and catapult launches.