A-10 Thunderbolt

DESCRIPTION: The A-10 "Thunderbolt" is known as the "tank killer." This twin-engine, one-seat plane is designed for "close air support" -- that is, to attack troops and tanks on the ground.

The plane is an older jet but a favorite of pilots because of its survivability. It flew some 8,000 sorties in the Gulf War, in which five of the aircraft were lost.

The A-10 is designed to flow "low and slow" for its mission of attacking targets on the ground. It can fly 150 miles and then "loiter" over the target area for an hour. Its 30 mm guns use depleted uranium rounds to pierce the armor of tanks.

A squadron of 24 A-10s is based permanently at the Al Jaber Air Base in Southern Kuwait.

ANYTHING NEW? These are not new.