• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Medium Lift / Long Range (ML/LR)
Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD)

On 02 May 2013 Naval Air Systems Command issued a a Request for Information (RFI - AR_LSB_Recapitilization_RFI_2) for Airborne Resupply/Logistics for Seabasing (AR/LSB) Recapitalization. Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Director Air Warfare (OPNAV N98) has identified the continued operational need for an aircraft carrier based aircraft capable of performing the ML/LR COD mission in support of the Carrier Strike Group (CSG). This RFI considered needs and options for carrier based COD aircraft in the 2026 timeframe.

1. The system must IOC for fleet use no later than 4Qtr FY2026.

2. The system must be suitable for operations from CVN 68 and CVN 78 class aircraft carriers.
   • Capable of day and night operations without negatively impacting CVN combat sortie generation rates.
   • CVN Deck spot factor not to exceed 1.86 in a wings folded configuration.
   • Not exceed an Aviation Consolidated Allowance List (AVCAL), including Intermediate (I) and Operational (O) level maintenance and bulk spares of ~ 32,000 lbs and ~ 5,400 cu ft.
   • Not require unique Support Equipment (SE) that accumulatively exceeds ~ 17,750 lbs and ~ 2,000 cu ft.
   • CVN turn-around time, including launch and recovery, taxi, cargo/passengers on/off load, and refueling, not to exceed 45 minutes.

3. The system must be effective in the primary COD mission and secondary missions of Air-to-Air Refueling, Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC), Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Support, and Missions of State. The system must be:
   • Capable of an unrefueled Operational Range of no less than 1,150 nm when operating under Tropical Day conditions.
   • Capable of transporting no less than 700 cu ft or 6,000 lbs of cargo/passengers to the Operational Range while operating under Tropical Day conditions.
   • Capable of carrying a combined payload of no less than 8,600 lbs, including 20 passengers, or 700 cu ft of volume to and from the Sea Base when operating under Tropical Day conditions.
   • Capable of a Self-Deployment trans-oceanic transit range of no less than 1,850 nm under Tropical Day conditions.
   • Compliant with Federal Aviation Association/International Civil Aviation Organization (FAA/ICAO) Communications, Navigation, Surveillance /Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) mandates.
   • Compliant with FAA and ICAO requirement for passenger transport, including but not limited to capabilities such as Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) Avoidance, Traffic alert Collision Avoidance System and weather avoidance radar.
   • Capable of providing Aerial Refueling tanker support (probe-and-drogue) to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) aircraft.
   • System must provide no less than aural and visual warning to aircrew and cueing to countermeasures to defeat man portable air defense system (MANPAD threats such as the Russian Strela (SA-7 and SA-14), Igla (SA-16 and SA-18)) and the U.S.-manufactured FIM-92 Stinger.
   • Capable of having a Main cargo deck that accommodates transport of palletized and non-palletized cargo, passengers and passenger configurations (plus baggage) (or equivalent CASEVAC Capability to include ambulatory) and be compatible with the U. S. Navy Carrier (CVN) Aviation environment.

4. The system must be reliable and sustainable with
   • A service life of no less than 7,500 hours;
   • An Operational Availability (AO) of no less than 75%; and
   • System must have a Mean Flight Hours Between Operational Mission Failure (MFHBOMF) of no less than 10 hours.

5. System must be affordable and cost effective.
   • The System must have an average annual O & S cost per aircraft in base year 2011 dollars no greater than the C-2A(R) aircraft.
   • The System must be able to transport the minimal Internal Payload to the minimal Operational Range when operating in Tropical Day Conditions in terms of Cargo Ton - Nautical Mile (nm) per Gallon (gal) of fuel consumed.

6. The aircraft would have the ability to withstand the following loading conditions as applicable:
   • Trap Landing: 20 g longitudinal, 20 g vertical, and 10 g lateral loading conditions
   • No-Trap Landing: 4 g forward, 3 g aft, 3 g lateral, 3 g vertical-up

These capabilities were intentionally broad to ensure a comprehensive market survey. Responses to this RFI would describe the capability available from each proposed alternative identified for the mission and constraints defined.

In February 2015, the Navy announced the Carrier Onboard Delivery, commonly referred to as COD, platform of the future would be a maritime variant of the V-22 Osprey. Until recently, that aircraft was referred to as the Navy variant. On 03 February 2016, that V-22 was given an official designation: CMV-22B.