The US Air Force plans to add up to 12 aircraft to its existing orderbook for 10 of the electronic attack jets.
Military systems integrator L3Harris expects to secure a significant number of new US orders for its EA-37B Compass Call electronic-attack aircraft in the coming years.
The company is already on contract to provide 10 of the Gulfstream G550-based jets to the US Air Force, five of which have already been delivered and are currently flying. L3Harris had also received a contract from Italy in 2025 to modify two of the business jets for combat use.
However, the latest budget request from Washington indicates the Pentagon now plans to substantially increase its EA-37B acquisition. The USAF’s fiscal year 2027 spending request includes funding for 12 more electronic-attack jets between 2026 and 2031.
“As budgets are being shaped and positioned, it’s looking like there’s going to be an order for another two aircraft coming in 2026, so we’re working with our customer to go position for that,” says Jason Lambert, president of intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance for L3Harris. “There are also signals of additional aircraft for 2027 and 2028.”
The acquisition plan outlined in the FY2027 budget request, which requires congressional approval, would raise the total Compass Call fleet to include 22 aircraft.
To get there, the USAF would buy two jets this year and three in 2027, followed by an additional two annually from 2028 to 2030. A single EA-37B purchase in 2031 would round out the fleet.
“We will expand our electronic-attack capability by increasing our EA-37B fleet from 12 to 22 aircraft,” air force secretary Troy Meink says in written testimony to Congress.
The USAF expects to spend just under $2.9 billion to acquire 12 of the jets, or $240 million each, according to the FY2027 budget request.
Compass Call aircraft are now flying on active duty with the USAF, with the type making its first appearance in Europe earlier this year.
Each EA-37B contains an advanced suite of sensors and mission systems provided by BAE Systems and integrated onto the aircraft by L3Harris.
BAE says the Compass Call mission package offers long-range, full-spectrum stand-off electromagnetic warfare signals-jamming capability that can be used to disrupt enemy air defences, communications, navigation systems, intelligence gathering and command-and-control networks.
The modified business jet is replacing an earlier iteration of the Compass Call aircraft based on Lockheed Martin’s C-130H transport. That design was designated the EC-130H.
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