United States Air Force EC-130H Retired

The U.S. Air Force's last EC-130H Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft, tail number 73-1590, flew its final flight from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, on 2 September 2026, ending more than four decades of service. Derived from the C-130 Hercules airframe, the type provided airborne electronic attack and communications jamming for joint and coalition forces, logging over 76,000 combat hours in the past two decades alone. A formal retirement ceremony is scheduled at Davis-Monthan on 18 September. The mission transitions to the EA-37B Compass Call, a Gulfstream G550-based replacement offering greater range, altitude and lower operating cost.