In a document submitted to Congress, the U.S. Air Force laid out its desire to almost double its order of EA-37B electronic attack aircraft while cutting its relatively new fleet of E-11A BACN jets by FY 2028.
In a suprising move, the U.S. Air Force’s unique and highly active E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) aircraft may be sent into retirement only a few years after settling into regular squadron service.
The E-11, based on Bombardier’s Global 6000 business jet, was initially pressed into service for operations over Afghanistan. They replaced NASA WB-57 Canberra aircraft which had been used over the country with prototype BACN payloads. The mountainous terrain of Afghanistan caused major headaches for military planners when trying to coordinate existing communications networks – regular VHF or UHF radios struggled with the line of sight limitations, while satellite communications (SATCOM) systems were expensive and relatively bulky.
An aircraft with a BACN payload, operating at a high altitude, could form a communications bridge between different units and mitigate the problems caused by the terrain. The benefits of such a system, able to interface between many different types and formats of communications systems, soon became apparent even for other situations, and the E-11A has served extensively across the Middle East both during Operation Inherent Resolve and, more recently, Operation Epic Fury. BACN has often been labelled ‘Wi-Fi in the sky’, but those who operate the systems claim this only just scratches the surface of what they are capable of.
Now, the U.S. Air Force says that modern SATCOM developments, leveraging the abundance and ease of connectivity with new low earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, would be able to bridge any gap left by retiring the E-11A platform. Additionally, podded versions of the BACN payload have already been developed previously, and modern variations of these could be deployed across a variety of aircraft as needed rather than requiring a dedicated fleet.
Running out of BACN. USAF to divest all E-11As by 2028.
From the SECAF/CSAF/CSO opening statement to House Approps today: pic.twitter.com/o6ESY74xJl
— Brian Everstine (@beverstine) April 30, 2026
However, this does raise the question as to why the E-11 clearly remains a prized and vital capability for high-intensity U.S. military operations. Before the commencement of Operation Epic Fury, movements of proportionally large numbers of E-11A aircraft into theatre were noted by open source flight tracking analysts. Only five years ago, the capability was deemed important and unique enough to warrant a major expansion of the fleet – moving beyond solely expeditionary usage.
🇺🇸 #USAF E-11A BACN fleet (7); last reported locations 2026-04-24Z 🥓
➢ 6 (87.5%) of the fleet is deployed and (presumably still) operating from Prince Sultan Air Base.
Prince Sultan Air Base 🇸🇦 (6)
➢ N770AG (11-9355 #ae4de1) #AA690E
➢ 22-9046 #ae77a3
➢ 22-9047 #ae77a4
➢… https://t.co/6QV7tcHcJ3— Steffan Watkins (@steffanwatkins) April 25, 2026
The newest known E-11A is 24-9049, manufactured by Bombardier in 2024 and delivered to the U.S. Air Force in 2025. By FY 2028, this aircraft and many others in the fleet will still have an extensive amount of life left and would be very attractive for overseas sale. The remaining question would be whether the U.S. permits this technology, or even simply an aircraft it was once fitted to, to be exported.
EA-37B Expansion
In the same document, the U.S. Air Force argues for an expansion in their planned complement of EA-37B Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft from 12 jets to 22. The EA-37B is also a business jet-derived platform, being based on the Gulfstream G550. After initial delivery in 2024, the first EA-37B training missions began in May 2025.
Two EA-37Bs Arrive at RAF Mildenhall on Possible First Operational Deployment
Two EA-37B Compass Call aircraft stopped at RAF Mildenhall for fuel during what may be the type’s first operational deployment abroad, reports suggesting Turkey as their destination.
Story:…
— The Aviationist (@TheAviationist) March 31, 2026
Earlier in April this year, we received confirmation that deployments of EA-37B aircraft towards the Middle East were, as suspected, combat deployments as part of Operation Epic Fury. This means the aircraft went from initial training sorties to operational missions in less than a year, a rare occurrence for new military aircraft which may have been forced due to EC-130H Compass Call aircraft (which it is due to replace) in theatre reportedly being damaged by Iranian attacks.
Outside of the obvious platforms, the one aircraft that likely had the most impact overall on the success of Operation Absolute Resolve that saw the capture of Maduro was the EC-130H Compass Call. It is the king ‘discombobulator’ that few truly understand. pic.twitter.com/Wfx1Fxt1Gg
— Tyler Rogoway (@Aviation_Intel) February 26, 2026
Like the EC-130H it is in the process of replacing, the EA-37B is a dedicated electronic warfare platform equipped with the capability to disrupt and deny hostile communications networks and navigation systems. They can pair with an RC-135’s electronic intelligence (ELINT) capability to precisely target the aircraft’s electronic warfare package towards the most active or vital of an adversary’s capabilities.
22 EA-37Bs would put the fleet at a level beyond that ever reached by the EC-130H, signalling how critical the electronic warfare role is in the modern battlefield.
