The EA-37B Compass Call is a wide-area airborne electromagnetic attack weapon aircraft, using a heavily modified version of the Gulfstream G550 civilian jet airframe.
The US Air Force is upgrading its electronic warfare aircraft fleet with a new jet.
The EA-37B “Compass Call” is nearing operational service entry—arriving in the Air Force’s fleet at a time when electronic warfare is becoming increasingly important.
The EA-37B Compass Call: Built for Electromagnetic Superiority
Although electronic warfare can seem arcane to the outsider, it is probably one of the most important warfighting capabilities on the modern battlefield. Electronic warfare is essentially the struggle between adversaries to control the electromagnetic spectrum on the battlefield to advance their tactical, operational, and strategic objectives.
Near-peer adversaries, especially China, are investing heavily in Anti-Access, Aerial Denial (A2/AD) capabilities that are meant to deny access to US aircraft, warships, and munitions from certain areas of the battlefield. To address such threats, the Air Force is introducing a new jet built specifically to detect and destroy ground-based enemy air defenses.
The EA-37B Compass Call is a wide-area airborne electromagnetic attack weapon aircraft, using a heavily modified version of the Gulfstream G550 civilian jet airframe. The aircraft will have Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) capabilities—using its systems to disrupt the communication between adversary radar installations, air defense batteries, and headquarters. The EA-37B is thought to have an operational ceiling of 40,000 feet and a speed of 600 knots (690 miles per hour).
“[W]e have adversaries that are developing long-range kill chain ecosystems and anti-access area denial capabilities,” Air Force Lieutenant General Thomas Hensley, the commander of the 16th Air Force, said in 2024 after the first EA-37 jet arrived in Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.
“The Compass Call will allow us to do things in the nonkinetic spectrum as well as in the electromagnetic spectrum to give us the advantage and not them,” Hensley remarked after the aircraft’s first training sortie.
Currently, the Air Force plans to procure 10 EA-37Bs, although that number might change depending on operational requirements. Italy has agreed to buy two aircraft.
The new electronic warfare jet will replace the aging Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call, an electronic attack aircraft based on the structure of the C-130 Hercules.
“The EC-130 has served its purpose for years, but this new airframe and its delivery mean that we have a combat-credible threat. The EA-37B, with its increased range, speed and agility, will allow Airmen onboard the aircraft to make real-time, adaptive, agile decisions for airpower,” Air Force Colonel Mark Howard, the commanding officer of the 55th Wing, stated.
About the US Military’s Electronic Warfare Fleet
Currently, the US military has three dedicated electronic warfare aircraft across its services: the EC-130H Compass Call, the EA-18G Growler, and the F-16CJ Fighting Falcon (the F-35 Lightning II can also conduct electronic warfare as part of its many capabilities).
The US Navy and Marine Corps rely on the EA-18G Growler for electronic warfare missions. The Growler operates from aircraft carriers alongside the F/A-18 Hornet, F/A-18 Super Hornet, and F-35B/C Lightning II fighter jets. For example, the Navy uses the EA-18G Growler to track and suppress enemy air defenses, thus opening the way for other fighter jets and combat aircraft to strike their targets.
Similarly, the US Air Force uses the EC-130H and F-16CJ to disrupt adversary command and control functions, suppress enemy air defenses by kinetic strikes or jamming, and disrupt adversary communications.
As the battlefield becomes increasingly digitized, the value of robust electronic warfare capabilities for both offensive and defensive purposes becomes invaluable.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
