FighterControl

Hi all,

As many will already be aware, the USAF recently announced that they have changed the designation for their new "Compass Call" aircraft, based on the Gulfstream G550. What was previously known as the EC-37B has now been redesignated as the EA-37B to better reflect it's role of Electronic Attack.

Scramble put out an article which gave details of the "known" airframes so far (which came via Ian Carroll, details of which I have no reason to question), of which there were 9 out the expected 10 airframes listed, as follows; N967GA (c/n 5567, 21-5567/DM?), N579GA (c/n 5579), N591GA (c/n 5591), N562GA (c/n 5602), N568GA (c/n 5608), N512GA (c/n 5612), N518GA (c/n 5618), N522GD (c/n 5622), N529GA (c/n 5626) plus one unknown example.

Scramble also included a photo of the first aircraft, fully painted in a grey scheme, with "5567" on the nose, and a "DM" tailcode. It isn't possible to read the FY from that photo, but FY21 would appear to make sense.

But now the query - I have since read another version of the above, that suggests that N518GA and N522GD are not part of the USAF order, and are going somewhere else instead? Does anyone have any further information on this, or, even better, any clue on what the IDs of the missing 3 airframes might be?

Many thanks

Stuart

5567 is FY17
Regards
Mark

Thanks Mark

sschofield wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 26, 2023 12:20 pm

What was previously known as the EC-37B has now been redesignated as the EA-37B to better reflect its role of Electronic Attack.

Can we expect to see this type armed then?

sschofield wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 26, 2023 12:20 pm

But now the query - I have since read another version of the above, that suggests that N518GA and N522GD are not part of the USAF order, and are going somewhere else instead? Does anyone have any further information on this, or, even better, any clue on what the IDs of the missing 3 airframes might be?

Many thanks

Stuart

The RAAF have a order for 5 airframes under the designation MC-55A "Peregrine" to replace the 2 x AP-3C SIGINT equipped aircraft currently based at Williamtown with 10 Squadron, as yet there is no specific date given for their delivery.

Italy too has a quite a few green G550 airframes purchased for several different missions including jamming, Sigint/Elint and AEW.

As for the armed question, the new Compass Call mission has an "electronic attack" role hence the EA designation but using its emitters to attack/damage enemy radars.

I think these will be the expected serials:
17-5567
18-5579
19-5591
19-5602
20-5608
23-5612
23-5618
23-5622
23-5626

witje wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 26, 2023 5:41 pm

I think these will be the expected serials:
17-5567
17-5579
18-5591
19-5602
19-5608
20-5612
23-5618
23-5622
23-5626

I thought it was

1 x 2017
1 x 2018
2 x 2019
1 x 2020
1 x 2021
1 x 2022
1 x 2023
1 x 2024
1 x 2025

Did things change ?

witje wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 02, 2023 6:00 am

The second one was ordered in FY18, so 18-5579?

Two were ordered in FY19 and thereafter each year one will be ordered untill FY25. Ten in totall.

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/weapo ... ms/ea-37b/

My hunch is that the Italian aircraft will all be second hand G550 frames.
Five Peregrines (MC-55A)? I thought the order was for four and these are well into production/conversion? I could be mistaken.
Regards
Mark

raameagle wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 26, 2023 7:12 pm

My hunch is that the Italian aircraft will all be second hand G550 frames.
Five Peregrines (MC-55A)? I thought the order was for four and these are well into production/conversion? I could be mistaken.
Regards
Mark

Planned for 5, ordered 4 I believe, Mark.

That makes sense then. The ‘four’ are under conversion already. It’ll be good to see one painted, finally lol.

JAWS wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 26, 2023 7:08 pm

witje wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 26, 2023 5:41 pm

I think these will be the expected serials:
17-5567
17-5579
18-5591
19-5602
19-5608
20-5612
23-5618
23-5622
23-5626

I thought it was

1 x 2017
1 x 2018
2 x 2019
1 x 2020
1 x 2021
1 x 2022
1 x 2023
1 x 2024
1 x 2025

Did things change ?

witje wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 02, 2023 6:00 am

The second one was ordered in FY18, so 18-5579?

Two were ordered in FY19 and thereafter each year one will be ordered untill FY25. Ten in totall.

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/weapo ... ms/ea-37b/

Indeed I made a mistake with the second one. I thought they didn’t order in FY21 and FY22, but 4 in FY23.

witje wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 26, 2023 7:45 pm

JAWS wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 26, 2023 7:08 pm

witje wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 26, 2023 5:41 pm

I think these will be the expected serials:
17-5567
17-5579
18-5591
19-5602
19-5608
20-5612
23-5618
23-5622
23-5626

I thought it was

1 x 2017
1 x 2018
2 x 2019
1 x 2020
1 x 2021
1 x 2022
1 x 2023
1 x 2024
1 x 2025

Did things change ?

witje wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 02, 2023 6:00 am

The second one was ordered in FY18, so 18-5579?

Two were ordered in FY19 and thereafter each year one will be ordered untill FY25. Ten in totall.

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/weapo ... ms/ea-37b/

Indeed I made a mistake with the second one. I thought they didn’t order in FY21 and FY22, but 4 in FY23.

Thanks for confirming witje.

Photo of 5567 marked up with DM tailcode: https://twitter.com/EC37B/status/1640031817167417345

This is the list of G550s still on the FAA register presumably for special mission conversion
N540GA 5540 registered to USAF (645 AESG) MC-55A for RAAF
N542GD 5542 registered to USAF (645 AESG) MC-55A?
N967GA 5567 L3 (Canx from FAA 23-11-23) EA-37B to 17-5567 DM
N579GA 5579 L3
N584GA 5584 registered to USAF (645 AESG) MC-55A?
N591GA 5591 L3 (Canx from FAA 15-11-23)
N562GA 5602 L3 (Canx from FAA 23-11-23)
N645LH 5606 L3
N568GA 5608 GAC
N512GA 5612 GAC
N518GA 5618 GAC
N522GD 5622 GAC
N526GA 5626 GAC
N527GA 5627 L3
N529GA 5629 L3
N530G 5630 L3
N531GA 5631 L3

POL wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 26, 2023 8:13 pm

Photo of 5567 marked up with DM tailcode: https://twitter.com/EC37B/status/1640031817167417345

Tailcode was edited in, unfortunately - original image in here: https://theaviationist.com/2023/06/01/ec-37b-update/

Anyone else disappointed this isn't about a 1960s Cessna A-37 Dragonfly modified with state of the art Electronic Warfare equipment?

Red Dragon wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 26, 2023 3:20 pm

sschofield wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 26, 2023 12:20 pm

But now the query - I have since read another version of the above, that suggests that N518GA and N522GD are not part of the USAF order, and are going somewhere else instead? Does anyone have any further information on this, or, even better, any clue on what the IDs of the missing 3 airframes might be?

Many thanks

Stuart

The RAAF have a order for 5 airframes under the designation MC-55A "Peregrine" to replace the 2 x AP-3C SIGINT equipped aircraft currently based at Williamtown with 10 Squadron, as yet there is no specific date given for their delivery.

Didn't know the P-3s were at Willytown....

Hendon Chipmunk wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 29, 2023 2:12 am

Anyone else disappointed this isn't about a 1960s Cessna A-37 Dragonfly modified with state of the art Electronic Warfare equipment?

+1!

EGDR wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 28, 2023 7:29 pm

POL wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 26, 2023 8:13 pm

Photo of 5567 marked up with DM tailcode: https://twitter.com/EC37B/status/1640031817167417345

Tailcode was edited in, unfortunately - original image in here: https://theaviationist.com/2023/06/01/ec-37b-update/

Ah, I'd assumed it was edited out of those photos, rather than the other way round

To be honest, I'd not considered the 'originals' might be the edited ones, you might be right