USAF lifts veil on Compass Call operations against the Islamic State | IHS Jane's 360

The USAF announced in 2014 that it is upgrading its EC-130H platforms with, what it terms, the Baseline-2 enhancement.

While the USAF said most of the modifications to the Baseline-2 aircraft are confidential, it disclosed that they are geared towards giving the 32-year old Compass Call an enhanced precision and increased electronic attack (EA) capacity, saying it affords the aircraft a "fifth-generation" EA capability.

The air force did add that the Baseline-2 Compass Call features enhanced communication capabilities through an expansion of the aircraft's satellite communications connectivity that is compatible with emerging Department of Defense architectures, as well as increased multi-asset co-ordination networks and upgraded datalink terminals. Furthermore, modifications to the airframe are aimed at improving the aircraft's performance and survivability, as the United States shifts its emphasis to operating in complex anti-access/area-denial environments.

The Baseline-2 enhancement builds on the earlier Block 35 upgrade rolled out across the fleet in 2011. Block 35 gave the EC-130H additional capabilities to jam communication, early warning/acquisition radar, and navigation systems through higher effective radiated power, extended frequency range, and the insertion of digital signal processing.