The U.S. government has authorized the potential sale of a new EA-37B Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft, intended to equip the Italian Air Force. This operation requires an investment of $680 million and is planned to enhance the country’s electronic warfare capabilities, as reported by the Department of State to the U.S. Congress yesterday.
Regarding the Italian order, the EA-37B Compass Call to be acquired comes with a wide array of components, including Network Centric Collaborative Targeting (NCCT) systems, a suite of counter-radar tools, KG-250 online network encryptors, and narrowband/wideband KY-100 terminals, among many others. Additionally, the usual technical data for the aircraft, spare parts, and technical support from the U.S. will be included to ensure the platform’s proper operation and transport.
In its official statement, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) noted that: “This proposed sale will support U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives by enhancing the security of a NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe… The proposed sale will improve Italy’s ability to address current and future threats by increasing interoperability with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and disrupting enemy command and control communications when Italy contributes to overseas contingency operations. Italy will have no difficulty integrating these items into its armed forces.”
The main contractor involved in the potential sale is BAE Systems, which will activate its facility in New Hampshire for this purpose. The DSCA’s official statement also mentions that no industrial compensation agreement will be required, nor will additional representatives need to be sent to Italy.
It’s worth noting that the new EA-37B Compass Call aircraft were designed in the U.S. as a replacement for the EC-130 planes, which are scheduled to be retired by 2026, with around five units remaining. The new platform features a modern electronic warfare system produced by BAE Systems, allowing for cost-effective neutralization of various enemy activities, such as communications and radar target detection. As previously reported, the U.S. Air Force plans to incorporate a total of 10 aircraft, half of which will belong to the Baseline 3 configuration, with the remainder to Baseline 4.
Finally, it’s important to mention that the Italian government has indicated in its 2022-2024 Multi-Year Defense Program Document that a new program called the Multi-Mission, Multi-Sensor Platform is underway. Its main objective is to equip the Italian Air Force with capabilities that can be integrated into a network-centric C4ISTAR structure, with a high degree of adaptability for various mission types. In this context, the force is expected to finalize the purchase of two EA-37B Compass Call aircraft to meet the specified requirements; modified G550 aircraft will also be acquired in larger quantities.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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