US Air Force retires EC-130H Compass Call after final flight
The EC-130H electronic attack aircraft completed its final sortie on September 2, 2026, ending more than four decades of service as the EA-37B takes over the mission.
The US Air Force retired the EC-130H Compass Call after its final flight at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, on September 2, 2026. The aircraft is a heavily modified C-130 Hercules designed to jam enemy communications, radar and navigation signals. It entered service in the early 1980s and supported operations from Just Cause in Panama through the post-2001 conflicts. Fourteen airframes were converted, with the first withdrawn in 2020.
The last flight was flown alongside an EA-37B Compass Call, the Gulfstream G550-based jet replacing it. According to the 355th Wing, this was the first formation flight of the two types. The wing said EC-130H crews logged more than 76,000 combat hours in the past 20 years. The 55th Electronic Combat Group operated the entire fleet.
The EA-37B carries a crew of nine, compared with 13 aboard the EC-130H. The first EA-37B arrived at the unit in August 2024. The 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron flew its first mission training sortie on May 2, 2025.
Sources
- aerotime.aeroUS Air Force retires EC-130H Compass Call after final Arizona flight