Photo Editor Stuart Freer reports from Norfolk Naval Air Station in Virginia, home to VRC-40.
When you think of the many flying units that currently equip the US Navy, the attack & fighter squadrons will probably be the first that come to mind, but one important squadron that rarely gets a mention in the media is Fleet Logistics Support Squadron Four Zero (VRC-40) who play a very important role in the modern US Navy. The squadron provides Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) services to the Navy’s Atlantic and Sixth Fleets.
|
 |
 |
 |
| VRC-40 was the first VRC squadron in the Navy. It was established on the 1st July 1960 and after flying the Grumman C-1A Trader aircraft for over 26 years, the squadron completed a transition to the C-2A Greyhound towards the end of 1986. VRC-40 is one of only two COD units within the Navy, the other being VRC-30 based at Naval Air Station North Island. VRC-40 currently operate twelve aircraft within the squadron, but unlike other units that deploy as an entire squadron, when VRC-40 deploy their Greyhounds aboard a US Navy Aircraft Carrier, they send two aircraft, in what is referred-to as a ‘Detachment’. Once the Carrier is on location in the main theatre of operations, the aircraft will then deploy to a Forward Operating Location (FOL) at a land-based airfield. |
 |
 |
| Maintaining and flying the unit’s aircraft at Norfolk is a work force of nearly 300 enlisted personnel and officers. Every year, VRC-40 carries over three million pounds of mail and cargo and make over one thousand arrested landings. The Rawhides are certainly kept very busy! The squadron’s C-2A Greyhounds are capable of carrying a mix of 10,000 pounds of cargo and passengers. Powered by two T-6 turboprop engines, the aircraft can accommodate a total of 26 passengers or up to 20 patients. The Greyhound is capable of not just delivering the mail but also carrying jet engines and even dropping Special Forces personnel. A cargo cage system provides restraint for loads during launches and landings. The large cargo door allows straight-in rear cargo loading and unloading for fast turnaround. This facility, plus folding wings and an on-board auxiliary power unit for engine starting provides an operational versatility not found in any other medium-sized cargo aircraft. |
 |
 |
| The future for the C-2 Greyhound is that the fleet is currently undergoing a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) to increase the aircraft’s service life from 15,000 landings and 10,000 flight hours to a total of 36,000 landings and 15,000 flight hours. The changes being incorporated are; structural enhancements, aircraft re-wiring, avionics systems improvements and a new propeller system (NP2000) which is also currently being introduced to the E-2 Hawkeye fleet. These updates to the fleet emphasize the ever increasing role the C-2A and VRC-40 play in supporting the future operations of the US Navy. |
| Stuart Freer would like to thank the US Navy and all staff at VRC-40 (especially to the squadron’s PAO) for their help and co-operation in preparing this article. |
|
