Last block 20 Compass Call leaves D-M for ugrades
September 1 marked the end of an era in Information Warfare for the 55th Electronic Combat Group. EC-130H tail No. 989, the last Block 20 Compass Call aircraft, departed Davis-Monthan for extensive modernizations at the Compass Call depot located in Waco, Texas. First delivered to Davis-Monthan in 1990, the Block 20 has served as the workhorse of U.S. Offensive Counter-Information Operations for more than 15 years, playing vital roles in Operations Desert Storm, Allied Force, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. In 1996 the EC-130H fleet first began phasing out the Block 20 configuration in favor of upgraded EC-130H blocks. While in depot, tail No. 989 will receive extensive avionics and mission system upgrades, returning to Davis-Monthan as a Block 35, the latest and most advanced version of the aircraft that Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Carl Vuono stated the “The Army will never again go to war without.” (Courtesy photo)