Combined HC-130J and EC-130H test unit established
Recently, the 418th Test and Evaluation Squadron, the combined HC-130J Combat King II and EC-130H Compass Call test unit, was activated at Davis-Monthan AFB (AZ).
The activation of the 418th TES, resorting under the 53rd Test and Evaluation Group was made official at a ceremony at Davis-Monthan on 5 November 2021.
A little later, on 16 November 2021, EC-130H 73-1585/DM from the 55th Electronic Combat Group (55th Wing) was taken out of service. This, leaving just seven operational Compass Call aircraft in the Wing's inventory.
What is striking is that within the USAF apparently it has been taken into account that the EC-130H will continue to fly for longer.
It was stated that mixing two traditionally separate communities into one squadron leverages different experience sets and resources. On 11 October 2021, Scramble Magazine wrote about the successor of the EC-130H, the EC-37B Compass Call II.
At this moment it is not known if the EC-37B will be incorporated into the 418th TES in due time.
As a side note. Besides the new 418th Test and Evaluation Squadron within the USAF, there is also the 418th Flight Test Squadron based at Edwards AFB (CA).
Photos by USAF / patch: www.aviatorgear.com