Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call

The EC-130H Compass Call is an American airborne tactical weapon system using a heavily modified version of the C-130 Hercules airframe. It is based at Davis-Monthan AFB. The system attempts to disrupt enemy command and control communications and limits adversary coordination essential for enemy force management. Compass Call's offensive counterinformation and electronic attack capabilities are used to support U.S. and allied tactical air, surface, and special operations forces. Programmed upgrades will give a secondary Electronic Attack (EA) capability against early warning and acquisition radars.

U.S. airborne electronic warfare consists of three main elements: the EC-130H Compass Call, the EA-18 Growler, and the F-16CJ Fighting Falcon suppress enemy air defenses while jamming communications, radar and command and control targets. Compass Call can be deployed worldwide at short notice.

Development
The EC-130H fleet is composed of a mix of state-of-the-art baseline aircraft.

Compass Call provides the Air Force with additional capabilities to jam communication, Early Warning/Acquisition radar and navigation systems through higher effective radiated power, extended frequency range and insertion of digital signal processing. The Block 35 will have the flexibility to keep pace with adversary use of technology. It is highly reconfigurable and permits incorporation of clip-ins with less crew impact. It promotes enhanced crew proficiency, maintenance and sustainment with a common fleet configuration, new operator interface, increased reliability and better fault detection.

Compass Call integrates into tactical air operations at any level. The versatile and flexible nature of the aircraft and its crew enable the power of electronic combat to be brought to bear in virtually any combat situation.

Crew
The EC-130H aircraft carries a combat crew of thirteen people. Four members are responsible for aircraft flight and navigation (aircraft commander, co-pilot, navigator and flight engineer), while nine members operate and employ the EA mission equipment permanently integrated in the cargo/mission compartment. The mission crew includes the mission crew commander (electronic warfare officer), weapon system officer (electronic warfare officer), mission crew supervisor (an experienced cryptologic linguist), four analysis operators (linguists), one acquisition operator and an airborne maintenance technician.

Operational history
Compass Call has been used in locations including Kosovo, Haiti, Panama, Iraq, Serbia, Afghanistan.

Operators
United States Air Force
 * Air Combat Command (Langley Air Force Base, Virginia)
 * 55th Wing (Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska)
 * 55th Electronic Combat Group (Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona)
 * 41st Electronic Combat Squadron
 * 42d Electronic Combat Squadron
 * 43d Electronic Combat Squadron