USAF Approves EA-37B Compass Call Training Simulator

The US Air Force has formally approved the Compass Call Mission Crew Simulator (CCMCS) which will be used to train EA-37B crew members who execute the Compass Call electronic attack mission.

The CCMCS, which provides realistic EW training for the EA-37B’s the seven mission system operators, was developed and delivered by BAE Systems (Hudson, N.H.), which is also responsible for the Compass Call’s electronic attack mission system. The CCMCS will help train EA-37B mission crews in jamming enemy communications, radar, and navigation systems, with an emphasis on disrupting command and control networks in integrated air defense systems.

According to a BAE Systems press release, the CCMCS provides the same controls, displays and systems installed in the EA-37B’s mission crew compartment. It allows crews to perform mission planning, train for team EW operations, practice resource management and perform decision making. It adds, “The CCMCS improves warfighter readiness by providing a high-fidelity, simulated tactical environment that replicates complex and dynamic scenarios they can encounter during real-world operations. It provides highly effective training in a safe, controlled environment that reduces the risk and cost of live-flight training.” BAE Systems developed the CCMCS in partnership with Textron Systems (Hunt Valley, Md.), which built the EW crew trainer for the legacy C-130H Compass Call aircraft.

The Air Force’s 55^th Electronic Combat Group (Davis Monthan AFB, Ariz.) has, so far, taken delivery of five EA-37Bs from prime contractor L3Harris. The Air Force order calls for five additional aircraft to be delivered by 2027. – J. Knowles