EA-37B Compass Call: The US Air Force's New Electronic Attack Aircraft

September 4, 2024

Leaders from the 55th Wing, 55th Electronic Combat Group, and 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron stand ready to receive Air Combat Command’s first EA-37B Compass Call aircraft during a delivery ceremony at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on Aug. 23, 2024. The EA-37B is a wide-area airborne electromagnetic attack weapon system using a heavily modified version of the Gulfstream G550 airframe. (Image: U.S. Air Force)

The U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command received its first EA-37B Compass Call on Aug. 23 for pilot training at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.

EA-37B is a heavily modified version of the Gulfstream G550 business jet that will operated by the Air Force as a wide-area airborne electromagnetic attack weapon system.

Aircraft 19-5591, now assigned to the 55th Electronic Combat Group, will be flown by the 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron and maintained by the Contractor Logistics Support Aircraft Maintenance team at Davis-Monthan AFB. The aircraft will give ACC aircrews their first opportunity to begin pilot mission planning and training.

Although located at Davis-Monthan AFB, the 55th ECG reports to the 55th Wing at Offutt AFB, Nebraska. The group is the sole operator of Compass Call aircraft in worldwide contingency operations.

Air Combat Command’s first EA-37B Compass Call sustains joint force military advantage in the electromagnetic battlespace and builds a more lethal force by modernizing electromagnetic attack capabilities to deny peer competitors' tactical networks and information ecosystems. (Image: U.S. Air Force)

The aircraft sustains joint force military advantage in the electromagnetic battlespace and builds a more lethal force by modernizing electromagnetic attack capabilities to deny peer competitors' tactical networks and information ecosystems.

Additionally, the aircraft denies, degrades and disrupts adversary communications, information processing, navigation, radar systems and radio-controlled threats. It also employs offensive counter-information and electromagnetic attack capabilities in support of U.S. and coalition tactical air, surface and special operations forces.

Air Combat Command’s first EA-37B Compass Call arrives overhead at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The aircraft will be assigned to the 55th Electronic Combat Group, flown by the 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron and maintained by the Contractor Logistics Support Aircraft Maintenance team. (Image: U.S. Air Force)

“The EA-37B is the right choice right now because as we continue to pivot toward Great Power Competition, we have adversaries that are developing long-range kill chain ecosystems and anti-access area denial capabilities,” Hensley said. “The Compass Call will allow us to do things in the non-kinetic spectrum as well as the electromagnetic spectrum to give us the advantage and not them.”

As the Air Force’s newest electromagnetic attack platform, the EA-37B will replace the legacy EC-130H as a more modern, and cost-effective, commercial derivative aircraft. Nine of 14 EC-130H aircraft have been divested to date.

“The EC-130 has been one of the flagships of Davis-Monthan since the early 1980s, and the arrival of the EA-37B along with the stand up of 11th Air Task Force shields a new era for Davis-Monthan AFB,” said Col. Scott Mills, 355th Wing commander. “As we look to take on the growing threat, the bottom line for the Airmen of Davis-Monthan and the 55th Electronic Combat Group is we are ready today to face that threat.”

A second aircraft is expected to be delivered for training to Davis-Monthan AFB by the end of 2024.

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