EA-37B completes first training sortie
May 14, 2025
Lt. Col. Tray Wood, commander of the 43rd ECS noted that: “This EA-37B mission culminates years of planning and coordination between thousands of people spanning many organizations. The hard work and dedication of these groups ensure the Electronic Combat Group is prepared for future conflict with the 43d Electronic Combat Squadron leading developments in the Electromagnetic Spectrum.”
The EA-37B is a wide-area airborne electromagnetic attack weapon system produced by L3Harris and based on a heavily modified conversion of the Gulfstream G550 airframe. The aircraft will replace the legacy EC-130H Compass Call and represents a more modern, higher performance and more cost-effective, commercial derivative aircraft.
The first EA-37B was delivered to the 55th Electronic Combat Group on 23 August 2024 to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to begin pilot 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. A total of ten EA-37B’s are expected to be produced and assigned to the 55th ECG. Ten of the USAF’s 14 EC-130H aircraft have been divested to date.
The EA-37B will sustain Joint Force military advantage in the electromagnetic battlespace and will help to build a more lethal force by modernizing electromagnetic attack capabilities. This will allow the US 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 US and coalition tactical air, surface and special operations forces.
Lt. Col. Jesse Szweda, the 43rd ECS director of operations said that: “The EA-37B and the professionals who support its mission represent the most recent evolution in a long history of EMS dominance for the ECG. The capabilities of this platform are the cornerstone to addressing emerging threats in any AOR at any time.”
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May 14, 2025
