Both EC-37B and EC-130H can handle the Compass Call's mission.
For the uninitiated, the EC-130H Compass Call is an electronic attack aircraft based on the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules that has been heavily modified to disrupt enemy command and control communications, perform offensive counter-information operations, and carry out other kinds of electronic attacks. It also has the capacity to attack early warning and acquisition radars and can be deployed worldwide at short notice to support U.S. operations forces.It is one of the three primary U.S.
The new visuals of the aircraft were taken after arriving at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tuscon, Arizona, on August 17 for a brief visit. The trip was meant to show off the plane’s progress. The aircraft was expected to be delivered for testing around this time of year, indicating that its development timeline is thus far on track.
The first ever EC-37B Compass Call aircraft made its now famous inaugural flight in the fall of last year. This event was followed by members of the U.S. House of Representatives adding $37 billion to the proposed defense budget for the Fiscal Year 2023, of which $883.7 million was put aside to acquire four more EC-37B Compass Call electronic warfare jets.
The move surprised many as it showcased an expensive turn of events from the Air Force‘s initial plan of procuring only 10 EC-37Bs. The change in plans could indicate that the has decided that replacing each and every older EC-130H will boost the Air Force’s electronic warfare capacity making the expensive investment worthwhile.While the EC-130H has proven very beneficial to the air force in the past, several of its airplanes date all the way back to the Vietnam war. This would indicate that they desperately need a successor to take over.