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10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. EC-130H Compass Call 060617: Mil· Public domain
- 2. 42d Electronic Combat Squadron EC-130H Compass Call 1986: United States Air Force· Public domain
- 3. 73-1580 Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call (framed): Tomás Del Coro· CC BY 4.0
- 4. A U.S. Air Force EC-130H Compass Call assigned to the 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron sits parked on the ramp at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, Dec. 2, 2020: Senior Airman Bryan Guthrie· Public domain
- 5. Systems operators determine targets to be jammed by EC-130H Hercules aircraft. The EC-130Hs, which are flying under the project name of Compass Call, are modified to confuse and dis - DPLA - 94d7d5a841f6927aad79f1ad61536c4b: Department of Defense. American Forces Information Service. Defense Visual Information Center. 1994· Public domain
- 6. The new EC-130H Compass Call Block 30 Aircraft, 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron (ECS), arrives at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, on 11 March 1997. The Compass Call (CC) airc - DPLA - e774293e8c90771419a204242876e7ae: Department of Defense. American Forces Information Service. Defense Visual Information Center. 1994· Public domain
- 7. 41st EECS Scorpions defend the force with Compass Call 150906-F-QN515-082: Tech. Sgt. Joseph Swafford· Public domain
- 8. 755th keeps Compass Call jamming 130501-F-WQ860-064: Airman 1st Class Betty Chevalier· Public domain
- 9. 755th keeps Compass Call jamming 130501-F-WQ860-156: Airman 1st Class Betty Chevalier· Public domain
- 10. A U.S. Airman with the 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron keeps technical order instructions for review Aug. 25, 2014, during EC-130H Compass Call aircraft maintenance at Bagram Airfield 140825-F-PB969-139: SSgt Evelyn Chavez· Public domain
what is it?
The Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call is an electronic attack aircraft, that was flown by the United States Air Force. Based on the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, the aircraft was heavily modified to disrupt enemy command and control communications, perform offensive counterinformation operations, and carry out other kinds of electronic attacks. Based at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona, EC-130Hs are ready to be deployed worldwide at short notice to support U.S. and allied strategic and tactical air, surface, and special operations forces.
How to recognise it: 4 turboprops · high wing · 40.4 m wingspan
base stats
Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).
fun facts
- First flew 45 years ago, in 1981.
- Wingspan of 40.4 m: about 9 cars parked nose to tail.
- Fully loaded it can weigh as much as 12 African elephants (~6 t each).
turboprop: A jet-style turbine turning a propeller: efficient on short hops.
spec sheet
- first flight
- 1981
- introduced
- 1983
- retired
- 2026
- status
- retired
- number built
- 14
- role
- lockheed ec-130
- origin
- 🇺🇸 United States
- makers
- Lockheed Corporation
- engines
- 4× Allison T56-A-15 / T56-A-15
- crew
- 13
- length
- 30.1 m
- wingspan
- 40.4 m
- height
- 11.7 m
- max take-off weight
- 70.3 t
- top speed
- —
- cruise speed
- 483 km/h
- range
- —
- ceiling
- 7,620 m
- wings
- high wing
Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.
family
Sources: Wikidata Q3836001, Wikipedia: Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.