Two U.S. Air Force EA-37B Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft departed Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, on March 30, 2026, and landed at RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom, marking their initial operational positioning amid escalating tensions with Iran. Flight trackers identified the jets by tail numbers 19-1587 and 17-5579, using callsigns AXIS 41 and AXIS 43.
U.S. Central Command confirmed the EA-37B’s inclusion in Operation Epic Fury, an ongoing campaign against Iran, in an April 1 fact sheet listing deployed assets. This represents the platform’s first known combat deployment, succeeding the aging EC-130H Compass Call, with only four of the older turboprops remaining in service, two already active in the theater.
The EA-37B, a modified Gulfstream G550, entered service with the first delivery on August 23, 2024, to Davis-Monthan for training. Its inaugural training sortie occurred on May 2, 2025, by the 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron. The Air Force operates five of a planned 10 aircraft under the 55th Electronic Combat Group.
Capable of flying at 40,000 feet and 600 knots—far surpassing the EC-130H’s 25,000 feet and 300 knots—the EA-37B jams enemy radars, communications, navigation systems, and command-and-control networks. It supports suppression of enemy air defenses by disrupting sensor coordination and weapon targeting, while providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance through emitter geolocation.
Predecessors like the EC-130H operated off Lebanon’s coast in September 2024 during Israeli actions, demonstrating the mission set. The EA-37B’s rapid deployment from Europe positions it for Middle East operations within hours from bases like Ramstein Air Base.