Members of the 55th Electronic Combat Group had a closeup look at the EC-37B Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft.
Taken on Aug. 17, 2022 the interesting video in this post features the new EC-37B Compass Call arriving at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.
Members of the 55th Electronic Combat Group had a closeup look at the electronic warfare (EW) aircraft, Alert 5 first noted.
BAE Systems is the mission systems integrator for the program and Gulfstream is the original aircraft manufacturer of the specialized EC-37B aircraft, a specialmission Gulfstream G550 that meets US Air Force (USAF) requirements. As the platform integrator for the program, L3Harris is migrating, or cross decking, the existing legacy Compass Call EC-130H mission system onto the EC-37B.
The G550 platform has increased speed, endurance and extended stand-off range over the legacy EC-130H aircraft – providing significantly improved survivability. The new platform will provide combatant commanders with improved stand-off jamming capability and flexibility to counter sophisticated communications and radar threats.
The cross-deck initiative extends the Air Force’s critical electronic warfare mission for many years, while enabling it to outpace its adversaries and counter emerging technologies. The G550’s superior reliability and sustainability mean that just 10 EC-37B aircraft provide equivalent EW capacity as the original high-demand 14 EC-130H aircraft fleet. The Compass Call mission system disrupts enemy command and control communications and limits adversary coordination essential for enemy force management.
The Compass Call system employs offensive counter-information and EW capabilities in support of US and coalition tactical air, surface and special operations forces. It is part of the suppression of enemy air defense triad, and programmed upgrades expanded its mission by procuring a secondary EA capability against early warning and acquisition radars.
The Air Force’s Compass Call program has been in operation for 40 years. The highly-deployed EC-130H aircraft have served in every major US contingency operation, and until recently, were continuously deployed to support US Central Command. L3Harris’ Waco, Texas aircraft missionization facility has provided integration and depot-level maintenance services to the legacy Compass Call EC-130H fleet since 2003.
Photo credit: Airman 1st Class Vaughn Weber / U.S. Air Force
