USAF Contract Terms Allow Avionics Company To Choose The Platform

The USAF has awarded a contract to L3 to develop a new airborne jamming aircraft based on the G550 business Jet. The new airplanes will replace the aging fleet of EC-130H Compass Call aircraft and could also be produced for other services.

The Drive reports that the Air Force confirmed on Sept. 7 that it had reached an agreement with L3 to shift its Compass Call technology to a new airplane, and gave the contractor the authority to choose the final platform. L3 chose the G550 for the task.

The Drive cites a statement by Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek given to DOD Buzz indicating the new Compass Call platform is being referred to as the EC-X.

The contract is what is called "undefinitized", so the total value of the deal is not yet known. There appears to be no plan to change the Compass Call capabilities. The technology will simply be moved to a new platform. The technology is designed to disrupt enemy communications, radar and other electronic emitters.

The Air Force had initially planned to award a sole-source deal to Gulfstream, which has a history of providing G-V and G550 aircraft to multiple services as VIP transports. But some members of congress with aircraft manufacturers in their states balked at that idea, saying the contract should be competitively bid. That's when the Air Force came up with the plan to give a modernization contract to L3, and let them select the platform. In August, the GAO rejected protests from Boeing and Bombardier that asserted that L3 would be biased towards Gulfstream based on their previous history with the company.

The U.S. Navy already has a plan to replace its aging NP-3D "Billboard" aircraft with a new system based on the G550. According to The Drive, L3 and Gulfstream have partnered with Northrop Grumman to offer an aircraft in the competition to recapitalize the E-8C JSTARS radar aircraft also based on the G550.

(Image provided by Gulfstream)

FMI: Original Report