EC-130H Compass Call

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EC-130H Compass Call

An EC-130H Compass Call flies a training mission over Lake Mead, Arizona.
Type	Electronic Warfare (EW), Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD), offensive counter-information
Manufacturer	Lockheed (airframe) BAE Systems (prime mission equipment) L3 Communications (aircraft integration and depot maintenance)
Introduced	April 1982
Primary user	United States Air Force
Number built	14 (USAF)
Unit cost	$65 million

The EC-130H Compass Call is an airborne tactical weapon system using a heavily modified version of the C-130 Hercules airframe. The system disrupts enemy command and control communications and limits adversary coordination essential for enemy force management. The Compass Call system employs the offensive counterinformation and electronic attack capabilities in support of U.S. and Coalition tactical air, surface, and special operations forces. Programmed upgrades will expand its mission by procuring a secondary Electronic Attack (EA) capability against early warning and acquisition radars.

Airborne electronic warfare consists of three major 'players' forming a triad of capability: the EC-130H Compass Call, the EA-6B Prowler, and the F-16CJ Fighting Falcon suppress enemy air defenses while jamming communications, radar and command and control targets. Compass Call is in demand with all unified commands, and therefore, subject to worldwide deployment in support of operations on very short notice.

1 Development
2 Mission
3 Operational history
4 Mission Flight Crew
5 Variants
6 Aircraft markings
7 Units using this aircraft
8 Specifications (EC-130H)
9 References
10 External links
11 Related content

[edit] Development

The EC-130H fleet is composed of a mix of Block 20, Block 30 and state-of-the-art Block 35 aircraft which are in test or production. All aircraft will transition to the Block 35 baseline configuration by fiscal 2011.

For Block 30 EC-130H, the upgrade achieved a major redesign of the mission compartment and operating system software of the Block 20 aircraft. Its primary focus was to provide a reprogrammable capability against target C2 systems.

For Block 35 EC-130H, the upgrade 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.

[edit] Mission

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[edit] Operational history

Compass Call has demonstrated a powerful effect on enemy command and control networks in multiple military operations including Kosovo, Haiti, Panama, Iraq, Serbia and Afghanistan.

[edit] Mission Flight Crew

The EC-130H aircraft carries a combat crew of 13 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