The Associated Press
Some of the planes being sent to the Middle East to aid in the retaliation for last week's terrorist strikes:
B-1B Lancer:
A long-range bomber which can fly around-the-world missions. First built to carry nuclear bombs, now used to unleash conventional bombs. Used extensively during the Persian Gulf War.
Manufacturer: Boeing, formerly Rockwell International
Engines: Four turbofans with afterburners
Length: 146 feet
Wingspan: 137 feet, with wings extended forward; 79 feet with wings swept back
Speed: More than 900 mph
Range: Intercontinental
Weapons: Up to 80 conventional bombs, 30 cluster bombs, 24 guided ``smart'' bombs
First deployed: 1985
Crew: Four (aircraft commander, pilot, offensive weapons officer, defensive weapons officer)
Cost: $200 million
Inventory: 51 battle-ready bombers in Air Force, another 18 in the Air National Guard
B-52 Stratofortress:
The B-52 is the U.S. Air Force's workhorse bomber, able to drop or fire a wide variety of bombs and missiles. B-52s dropped 40 percent of the ordnance on Iraq during the Gulf War. With airborne refueling, the planes can fly around the world. During the Gulf War, for instance, B-52s took off from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., fired missiles at Iraq, and returned home in a marathon 35-hour mission.
Manufacturer: Boeing
Engines: Eight Pratt & Whitney turbofans
Length: 159 feet, 4 inches
Wingspan: 185 feet
Speed: 650 mph
Range: 8,000 miles without refueling
Weapons: 70,000 pounds of ordnance, which can include bombs, mines and missiles
First deployed: 1955
Crew: Five (aircraft commander, pilot, radar navigator, navigator and electronic warfare officer)
Cost: $74 million
Inventory: Air Force active, 85; Air Force Reserve, 9
F-16 Fighting Falcon:
A fighter jet with several variations, designed to attack both other airplanes and ground targets. Can withstand maneuvers that put up to nine times the force of gravity on the plane. Used extensively during the Gulf War and to patrol no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq.
Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin Corp., in conjunction with companies from Belgium, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands
Engines: One turbofan
Length: 49 feet, 5 inches
Wingspan: 32 feet, 8 inches
Top speed: 1,500 mph, or twice the speed of sound
Range: More than 2,000 miles
Weapons: 20mm cannon with 500 rounds, up to six air-to-air or air-to-ground missiles
First deployed: 1979
Crew: F-16C, one; F-16D, one or two
Cost: $34.3 million
Inventory: 1,450 as of 1996
F-15 Eagle:
Twin-engine, one- or two-seat jet fighters made for aerial combat, though some models can bomb ground targets as well. Used extensively in the Gulf War, shooting down Iraqi aircraft and attacking artillery and SCUD missile sites.
Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas Corp., now Boeing
Engines: Twin turbofans with afterburners
Length: 63.8 feet
Wingspan: 42.8 feet
Top speed: 1,875 mph, or more than 2.5 times the speed of sound
Range: 3,450 miles
Weapons: 20mm cannon with 940 rounds of ammunition, eight air-to-air or air-to-ground missiles
First deployed: 1972
Crew: F-15C, one; F-15D/E, two
Cost: $34.3 million
Inventory: Air Force, 396; Air National Guard, 126
F-14 Tomcat:
A two-engine, two-crew fighter that can both shoot down enemy planes and attack ground targets. The Tomcats are based on aircraft carriers and on land.
Manufacturer: Grumman Aerospace Corp.
Engines: Twin turbofan with afterburners.
Length: 61 feet, 9 inches
Wingspan: 64 feet with wings extended, 38 feet with wings swept back
Speed: More than twice the speed of sound
Range: Carrier-based, up to 915 nautical miles; land-based, up to 1,600 nautical miles
Weapons: Up to 13,000 pounds, including air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles
First deployed:1970
Crew: Two
Cost: $38 million
Inventory: 632 were built for the U.S. Navy; officials plan to phase out the planes by 2010
F/A-18 Hornet:
A two-engine fighter that can have a crew of one or two. Can be based on aircraft carriers or land stations. During the Gulf War, some Hornets took direct hits from surface-to-air missiles but were able to return to their bases and be repaired so they could fly the next day.
Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas, now Boeing
Engines: Two General Electric turbofans
Length: 56 feet
Wingspan: 40 feet, 5 inches
Speed: Nearly twice the speed of sound
Range: 1,252 miles in combat, 1,778 miles in transit
Weapons: Can carry various kinds of bombs and missiles, including the newest high-tech cruise missiles
First deployed: 1978
Crew: A, C and E models, one; B, D and F models, two
Cost: $29 million
Inventory: Not listed
KC-135 Stratotanker:
The KC-135 Stratotanker provides in-flight refueling to aircraft from all four branches of the U.S. military and allied nations.
Manufacturer: Boeing
Engines: Four turbofans
Length: 136 feet, 3 inches
Wingspan: 130 feet, 10 inches
Speed: 530 mph
Range: 1,500 miles when offering refueling; up to 11,015 miles as a transport
Cargo capacity: Up to 83,000 pounds of cargo, with 37 passengers
Fuel capacity: Up to 200,000 pounds
First deployed: 1956
Crew: Four (pilot, co-pilot, navigator, refueling boom operator)
Cost: $39.6 million
Inventory: Active duty, 253; Air National Guard, 222; Air Force Reserve, 70
KC-10A Extender:
An aerial refueling tanker that can also carry support workers and equipment overseas.
Manufacturer: Boeing
Engines: Three General Electric turbofans
Length: 181 feet, 7 inches
Wingspan: 165 feet, 4.5 inches
Speed: 619 mph
Range: 4,400 miles with cargo, 11,500 miles without cargo.
Cargo capacity: 170,000 pounds and 75 people
Fuel capacity: Up to 356,000 pounds
First deployed: 1981
Crew: Four (aircraft commander, pilot, flight engineer and refueling boom operator)
Cost: $88.4 million
Inventory: 59
HC-130P/N:
The HC-130P/N, a variation on the C-130 cargo plane, provides in-flight refueling for combat and search-and-rescue helicopters. The plane also may be used to drop parachute rescue teams, small cargo bundles or four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Manufacturer: Lockheed Aircraft Corp., now Lockheed-Martin
Engines: Four turboprop
Length: 98 feet, 9 inches
Wingspan: 132 feet, 7 inches
Speed: 289 mph
Range: More than 4,000 miles
Weapons: None
First deployed: 1964
Crew: Three officers (pilot, co-pilot, navigator) and six enlisted (flight engineer, airborne communications specialist, loadmaster and three rescuers)
Cost: $16.5 million
Inventory: Active Air Force, 9; Air National Guard, 13; Air Force Reserve, 8
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Sources: U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy
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