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Lockheed EC 130H Compass Call

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Top speed
  
602 km/h

Wingspan
  
40 m

Engine type
  
Allison T56

Range
  
3,694 km

Length
  
29 m

Lockheed EC 130H Compass Call

Unit cost
  
165,000,000–165,000,000 USD

Manufacturers
  
BAE Systems, Lockheed Corporation

Lockheed ec 130h compass call air refueling clip


The EC-130H Compass Call is an electronic attack aircraft flown by the United States Air Force. Based on the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules, the aircraft is heavily modified to disrupt enemy command and control communications, perform offensive counterinformation operations, and do other kinds of electronic attack. Planned upgrades will add the ability to attack early warning and acquisition radars.

Contents

Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call flying in the sky

The EC-130H fleet, which is used to support U.S. and allied tactical air, surface, and special operations forces. Based at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona, Compass Call can be deployed worldwide at short notice.

Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call flying in the sky

The EC-130H is one of the four main U.S. electronic warfare aircraft, along with the Boeing EA-18 Growler, Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler, and the F-16CJ Fighting Falcon. These suppress enemy air defenses while jamming communications, radar and command and control targets.

Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call

Development

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

Crew

Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call on a runway

The EC-130H aircraft carries a combat crew of 13 people. Four members handle 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 Kosovo, Haiti, Panama, Iraq, Serbia, Afghanistan, and elsewhere.

Side view of Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call

From 2002 to 2015, EC-130Hs participating in Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan and Operation Freedom's Sentinel flew over 40,000 hours during 6,900 combat sorties.

Operators

United States Air Force

Side view of Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call

  • 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

    • Egyptian Air Force

  • Transport Brigade Wing (Cairo International Airport - (IATA: CAI, ICAO: HECA))
  • 16th EW/SEAD Squadron

    • Specifications (EC-130H)

    Data from Air Force Link: EC-130H Compass Call

    General characteristics

  • Crew: 13
  • Length: 97 ft, 9 in (29.3 m)
  • Wingspan: 132 ft, 7 in (39.7 m)
  • Height: 38 ft, 3 in (11.4 m)
  • Wing area: ft² (m²)
  • Empty weight: 101,000 lb (45,813 kg)
  • Useful load: lb (kg)
  • Loaded weight: lb (kg)
  • Max. takeoff weight: 155,000 lb (69,750 kg)
  • Powerplant: 4 × Allison T56-A-15 turboprop, 4,591 hp (kW) each

    • Performance

  • Never exceed speed: knots (mph, km/h)
  • Maximum speed: knots (mph, km/h)
  • Cruise speed: knots (300 mph, mach 0.52)
  • Stall speed: knots (mph, km/h)
  • Range: 2,295 nm (mi, 3,694 km)
  • Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,600 m)
  • Rate of climb: ft/min (m/s)
  • Wing loading: lb/ft² (kg/m²)
  • Power/mass: hp/lb (W/kg)

    • References

    Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA