What to know about the A-10 and F-15E, the 2 American planes downed by Iranian fire
At least two American military jets -- an F-15E and an A-10 -- have been downed by Iranian fire, officials told ABC News.
One of the members of the F-15's crew was rescued while a search and rescue mission continued for the other, the officials said.
In a separate incident, an A-10 was hit by Iranian fire and managed to fly to Kuwait, a separate official said. The pilot in that case was rescued.
The conditions of the crew members aboard the aircraft are not known.
Here's what to know about the military jets — workhorses for the Air Force.
F-15E Strike Eagle
The F-15E has been a workhorse for the Air Force for decades. The F-15A made its first flight in July 1972, according to the Air Force. It was followed by the B variation, a single-seat C version and two-seat D model in 1979.
The E variant first came to Luke Air Force Base in April 1988, the Air Force said.
The powerful jet features "high engine thrust-to-weight ratio," allowing it to accelerate even while climbing vertically, and features tremendous maneuverability, allowing it to "turn tightly without losing airspeed," the Air Force said.
The E variant is a dual-role fighter, designed to operate in all weather and perform air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
The F-15E has a rear cockpit for the weapons system officer with four screens that can display an array of data. The pilot has a glass heads up display and "doesn't need to look down into the cockpit, for example, to check weapon status," the Air Force said.
The F-15E can hit 1,875 mph and fly up to 60,000 feet. It can carry missiles and has a 20mm gun with 500 rounds of ammunition.
A-10C Thunderbolt II
The A-10 "Warthog" has been around for decades as well, designed to support ground operations at low altitudes.
What it lacked in speed -- the Air Force lists its top speed as 420 mph -- it made up for in toughness.
The A-10 was meant to take hits and keep going, the Air Force says.
"The aircraft can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high explosive projectiles up to 23mm," the Air Force said. "Their self-sealing fuel cells are protected by internal and external foam. Manual systems back up their redundant hydraulic flight-control systems. This permits pilots to fly and land when hydraulic power is lost."
Pilots and the flight control system are protected by titanium armor and survivability is increased through "redundant primary structural sections."
In addition, to operating low to the ground, they can land in a variety of conditions and servicing is relatively easy with interchangeable parts on both sides of the aircraft.
In addition to air-to-surface weapons, the A-10 has a Gatling gun that can fire 3,900 rounds a minute, which can destroy tanks.
The A-10 flew over 8,000 sorties in the Gulf War and was mission capable 95.7% of the time, the Air Force said.
