[Llarry]

Somewhat related to the ASW aircraft post is the issue of delivery of high-priority parts and people to aircraft carriers at sea far from their homeports. The U.S. Navy calls this carrier onboard delivery (COD) and has used a variety of COD aircraft over the years.

The earliest COD was -- surprise! -- the ubiquitous TBM Avenger, which seemed to do all the various extra tasks needed by the carriers. After WW2, the Navy modified TBMs into a TBM-3R configuration -- R for transport -- and this aircraft served during the late 1940s and well into the 1950s.

The first dedicated COD aircraft was the confusingly-designated Grumman TF-1 (T for training) Trader, which was a modification of the S2F ASW aircraft. A key requirement for the TF-1, which first flew in 1955, was the capability to transport a nuclear weapon to a carrier at sea. More usually the payload was critical cargo, up to nine passengers and mail. The TF-1 was redesignated C-1A (C for transport) in 1962.

After development of the twin-turboprop airborne early warning E-2 in the early 1960s, Grumman proposed a version using the wings and powerplants of the E-2 married to a new larger fuselage and a rear loading ramp, thus providing a greatly-improved COD aircraft. The resulting C-2A served from the late 1960s until quite recently.

The current COD is a modification of the Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor. A key requirement for this aircraft, designated CMV-22B, was the capability to transport the main power module of an F135 turbofan engine (used by the F-35) to a carrier at sea. The F135 is a monster and it is a tight fit.

The only dedicated foreign COD I've come across is the Fairey Gannet used by the Royal Navy in small numbers.

Out of the COD mainstream was a proposal some 60+ years ago to ferry cargo to an aircraft carrier at sea with a huge Lockheed C-130 Hercules. It proved feasible to land and take off from a carrier with a C-130 but impractical, as it would require a clear flight deck. A U.S. aircraft carrier cannot fit all assigned aircraft into the hangar deck below, so this would require offloading aircraft to clear the deck for C-130 operations. Nevertheless, it is an interesting footnote to aircraft carrier operational history.