New Delhi: The United States has deployed its EA-37B Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft in the war against Iran, the first-ever combat use of the platform.
EA-37B Compass Call, the US’ most advanced electronic warfare aircraft, is used to disrupt the enemy’s command and control communications, radars, and navigation systems.
In its 1 April factsheet, which issues the list of aircraft and other assets employed as part of the US’ Operation Epic Fury, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) included the EA-37B Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft for the first time on its list.
A pair of aircraft was spotted at RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom. The data revealed through the online flight trackers this week showed that the planes flew from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona on 30 March and landed in England, using the call signs AXIS 41 and AXIS 43.
Aviation enthusiasts collected multiple photographs of the plane at Mildenhall air base and posted them on social media on 31 March. The photographs captured showed the markings of Davis-Monthan on its tail, which is the primary operating base of EA-37B.
Operation Epic Fury: April 1st Update pic.twitter.com/HfMcpjU2mZ
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 2, 2026
The photographs also showed the extensive fuselage, which was modified to accommodate the electronic warfare equipment typically associated with an EA-37B.
What is EA-37B
EA-37B Compass Call is an electronic warfare aircraft, based on a Gulfstream G550 business aircraft, which is used to disrupt the enemy’s command and control communications, radars, and navigation systems.
EA-37B, which entered service in 2024, can fly at a maximum speed of nearly 770 miles per hour at a height of 45,000 feet and has a range of 4,400 nautical miles, according to Air Combat Command.
The US Air Force currently has five EA-37Bs, out of a planned fleet of 10, including the two EA-37s test aircraft. With a height of 7.9 meter and a wingspan of 29.4 meter, the plane weighs around 21,908 kilogram.
The EA-37Bs are expected to replace the aging fleet of EC-130H Compass Calls, which were developed on the airframe of the C-130 and date back to the Vietnam War era.
Due to the extensive repair costs, the Air Force’s fleet of EC-130 has dwindled from 15 to four. The Compass Call played a pivotal role in operations against the Islamic State and the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
With the capacity of nine crew members, including pilot and co-pilot, 37B is equipped with the advanced system called SWORD-A, which allows the aircraft to quickly upgrade its technology and adapt to new threats.
According to the Air & Space Force Magazine, airmen have been conducting training sorties since 2025 with the new 37Bs. They have not been previously flown on any operational deployments.
Heather Penney, a former F-16 pilot, told the Air & Space Force Magazine that “It is a noteworthy moment and demonstrates that it can be successfully used in an operational environment”.
“Being able to control the electromagnetic spectrum is so crucial to modern and future warfare, and I think it has been underappreciated, because we’ve seen an underinvestment in these kinds of capabilities. There is this perception that you cross the red line on the threat map and you vaporize, and it’s just not how this works,” added Penney.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also Read: Spectrum is a warfighting asset — India can’t keep auctioning it off for viral videos