The U.S. Air Force has collaborated with BAE Systems to cross-deck the company’s advanced Compass Call electronic warfare system onto its next-generation electronic warfare aircraft. It is a critical upgrade for the EC-37B Baseline 4 platform that comes on the 40th anniversary of Compass Call, and is facilitated by BAE Systems’ Small Adaptive Bank of Electronic Resources (SABER) technology. The development of Compass Call Baseline 4 is taking place at BAE Systems’ state-of-the-art facilities in Hudson, N.H., Nashua, N.H., Burlington, Mass., San Diego, Calif., and Dallas, Texas.
Compass Call is an airborne tactical electronic attack weapon system that disrupts enemy command and control communications, radars, and navigation systems to restrict adversary battlespace coordination. The weapon system supports the suppression of enemy air defenses by preventing the transmission of essential information between adversaries, their weapon systems, and control networks. Compass Call has provided attack capability on the EC-130H since 1981 and is now being cross-decked onto a Gulfstream G550 CAEW platform to be named the EC-37B Compass Call. BAE Systems serves as the mission system engineering, integration, and testing lead as well as the mission system prime contractor.
To meet new mission requirements and combat advanced threats, the Compass Call system will integrate with various aircraft in the future. The system will specifically be re-hosted on the Gulfstream G550, designated as the EC-37B when it enters service as a 21st century electronic attack platform. The future possibilities for the system are vast, as the advanced technology combined with new aircraft integration will result in increased performance at faster speeds, longer ranges, and higher altitudes. The total system provides crews with the utmost confidence today and tomorrow.
The SABER system transitions from hardware to software-based electromagnetic spectrum warfare capability on Compass Call. The system is built on a suite of software defined radios using an open system architecture and will provide the backbone of the EC-37B’s operating system. The SABER system is a major technological advance – transitioning from hardware to software-based electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) warfare capability for the U.S. Air Force and its Compass Call weapon system. SABER complies with Department of Defense standards to embed protective measures during product design, as well as leverages an open architecture to enable hosting of various government contracted applications.
