The aircraft is mainly used to transport high-priority cargo such as jet engines and special stores, mail, and passengers between carriers and shore bases.

The C-2 Greyhound, a derivative of the Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, shares the folding "Sto-Wings" and engines with the E-2, but has a widened fuselage with a rear loading ramp.

A cage system or transport stand restrains cargo during carrier launch and landing accelerations to prevent weight redistribution, which might adversely affect in-flight stability.

The Greyhound's ability to airdrop supplies and personnel, fold its wings, and generate power for engine starting and other uses provide greater operational versatility.

The four-stabilizer configuration has the advantage of placing the outboard rudder surfaces directly in line with the propeller wash, providing effective yaw control down to low airspeeds, such as during takeoff and landing.

The C-2A(R)'s lifespan was 10,000 hours, or 15,000 carrier landings; plans require the C-2A to perform its mission supporting battle group operational readiness through 2015.

The SLEP includes structural improvements to the center wing, an eight-bladed NP2000 propeller, navigational upgrades including the addition of GPS and the dual CAINS II navigation system, the addition of crash-survivable flight-incident recorders, and a ground proximity warning system.

The first upgraded C-2A(R) left NAVAIR Depot North Island on 12 September 2005, after sitting on the ground for three and a half years while the SLEP was developed and installed.

[6] In November 2008, the company also obtained a $37M contract for the maintenance, logistics, and aviation administration services over five years for the C-2A fleet assigned to VX-20 test and evaluation squadron at Patuxent River.

[10] Three options were suggested as replacements for the aging C-2s: a new batch of updated C-2s, a transport version of the Lockheed S-3 Viking, and the tilt-rotor Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey.

Installing the Rolls-Royce T56-427A engines would cut fuel consumption by 13–15% with the same eight-bladed propeller, enabling take-offs with a 10,000-pound (4,500 kg) payload in 125 °F (52 °C) temperature and a range in excess of 1,400 nmi (1,600 mi; 2,600 km); similar performance by the C-2A requires engine temperatures at 70 °F (21 °C), trading fuel for payload.