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Following the arrival of two EA-37B Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft have arrived at\u00a0RAF Mildenhall, UK, on Mar. 31, 2026, the U.S. Central Command has now confirmed that the assets will be employed in Operation Epic Fury. This new development thus confirms that this will be the type\u2019s first operational deployment<\/a>.<\/p>\n The aircraft was added to the list of the U.S. assets employed in Operation Epic Fury as part of the latest update released on Apr. 1. The aircraft, however, have not yet arrived in CENTCOM\u2019s Area or Responsibility (AoR).<\/p>\n Operation Epic Fury: April 1st Update pic.twitter.com\/HfMcpjU2mZ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n In fact, both aircraft, which flew with the callsigns AXIS41<\/a> and AXIS43<\/a>, were last recorded on flight tracking websites upon the arrival at Mildenhall. Local spotters similarly confirmed to us that the aircraft indeed have not yet left the air base.<\/p>\n The aircraft departed on Mar. 30 from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, and arrived in the UK<\/a> after a fuel stop at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. The deployment immediately caught the eye of flight trackers, who also noted the rumors about two EC-130H Compass Call aircraft possibly being damaged in Middle East.<\/p>\n USAF EA-37B #AXIS41<\/a> & #AXIS43<\/a> out of Davis\u2013Monthan AFB are inbound to RAF Mildenhall after a stop at McGuire AFB.<\/p>\n 19-1587 \/ #AE17CD<\/a> \u2014 EISNspotter (@EISNspotter) March 31, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n While not confirmed, it was reported that the two EA-37s, after leaving the UK, might be headed to Turkey. One of the indications noted by spotters was a Boeing 747-400 belonging to Kalitta Air, which usually flies transport missions<\/a> on behalf of the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM).<\/p>\n The aircraft landed at Davis-Monthan on Mar. 30, and was said to be scheduled to fly to Istanbul, according to flight trackers. Indeed, the aircraft departed on Apr. 1<\/a> and flew to Istanbul with a \u201cCamber\u201d (CMB) callsign, as usual for USTRANSCOM\u00a0flights, although it is unclear if that will be the final deployment destination.<\/p>\n The EA-37B will join the already large variety of capabilities that have been put in action for\u00a0Operation Epic Fury<\/a>.<\/p>\n When it recently deployed to Europe for a roadshow<\/a> in January 2026, the Air Force said the EA-37 was not yet operational. It is unclear if this has changed, as the service previously said the Initial Operational Capability (IOC) is\u00a0expected for this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cNow in our 5th week of the campaign, it is my operational assessment that we are making undeniable progress. We don\u2019t see their navy sailing. We don\u2019t see their aircraft flying, and their air and missile defense systems have largely been destroyed.\u201d \u2013 Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/cTHgYJDxCF<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The aircraft is meant to provide electronic attack effects that help protect U.S. and allied forces in contested environments, while also complicating an adversary\u2019s \u2013 in this case Iran\u2019s \u2013 ability to coordinate and control forces. The Air Force described the Compass Call\u00a0as\u00a0a critical enabler\u00a0for achieving desired military effects, such as\u00a0degrading\u00a0adversarial\u00a0communication, navigation and\u00a0weapons\u00a0systems\u00a0and\u00a0countering\u00a0adversarial kill\u00a0chains\u00a0to\u00a0enhance\u00a0joint force survivability.<\/p>\n Notably, the aircraft might also work\u00a0in cooperation with the RC-135 Rivet Joint<\/a>, which is already deployed in the Middle East. In fact, the U.S. Air Force has been working on the integration of two its premiere airborne EW (Electronic Warfare) and ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) assets.<\/p>\n\n
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\n17-5579 \/ #AE142E<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/3QqHtFgqJS<\/a><\/p>\nEA-37\u2019s Role in Epic Fury<\/h3>\n
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