The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single single seated, twin engine, straight wing aircraft designed in the early 1970s solely for close air support and forward air control. It is employed exclusively by the United States Air Force. All A-10 variants are equipped with a 30mm GAU-8 Avenger Rotary Cannon that fires 4,200 Depleted Uranium, armor piercing rounds per minute. Standard armament on an A-10 can include 2 AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles for air-to-air self defense, 6 AGM-65 air-to-surface Maverick missiles, 70/127 mm rocket pods, and an assorted array of unguided to laser guided bombs (loadout varies by mission).
The A-10 is designed with deliberate redundancies as precautionary measures that ensure reliability. It has double-redundant hydraulic flight systems, and a mechanical system as a back up if hydraulics are lost. Flight without hydraulic power uses the manual reversion control system; pitch and yaw control engages automatically, roll control is pilot-selected. In manual reversion mode, the A-10 is sufficiently controllable under favorable conditions to return to base, though control forces are greater than normal. The aircraft is designed to fly with one engine, one tail, one elevator, and half of one wing missing. The A-10 is exceptionally tough, being able to survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high-explosive projectiles up to 23 mm. The cockpit and parts of the flight-control system are protected by 1,200 lb (540 kg) of titanium aircraft armor, referred to as a "bathtub". The armor has been tested to withstand strikes from 23 mm cannon fire and some strikes from 57 mm rounds.
The A-10 Thunderbolt is extremely popular with ground forces due to it's effective role as a "tank killer". It's Avenger Rotary Cannon is exceptionally adept at neutralizing vehicles due to a combination of heavy Depleted Uranium and rapid fire capabilities. I've even heard reports from the Yugoslav wars of enemy tanks that were advancing moments ago fleeing at the mere sight of a singular A-10.
Despite its reputation, the USAF has repeatedly made plans to scrap the A-10 in favor of the, according to ground forces, less favorable F-35. These plans are often halted by public opinion and military outrage.