Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call
Lockheed · United States · first flew 1981 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call was an electronic attack aircraft flown by the United States Air Force. It was based on the C-130 Hercules.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turboprop, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 30.1 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Four wing-mounted Allison T56 turboprops with four-bladed propellers
- High shoulder-mounted wing on a C-130 airframe
- Hinged rear loading ramp inherited from the C-130 Hercules
Externally it is a standard four-engined C-130 airframe fitted with mission equipment. The crew of 13 includes nine mission operators in the cargo compartment.
Specifications
- The Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call has a length of 30.1 m (99 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 40.41 m (133 ft).
- Typical crew: 13.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It first flew in 1981, was delivered to the Air Force in 1982 and reached initial operating capability in 1983. Fourteen were built.
Variants
The fleet was a mix of Baseline 1 and Baseline 2 aircraft. The EA-37B, based on the Gulfstream G550, was chosen as its replacement.
Where you'll see it
It disrupted enemy command and control communications and was used in Yugoslavia, Haiti, Panama, Iraq and Afghanistan. The aircraft was flown by the 55th Electronic Combat Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona.
Related aircraft
- Lockheed ER-2
- Lockheed L-1011-500
- Lockheed WP-3D Orion
- C-130H Hercules
- Beriev A-60
- British Aerospace Nimrod AEW.3
- Myasishchev M-17 Stratosfera
- Northrop Tacit Blue
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