Search And Destroy

RECONNAISSANCE The U.S. has developed the world's most advanced spy craft for monitoring an elusive foe

Satellites --Orbiting eyes like the Keyhole can cover wide swaths of the country every day

WHAT THEY CAN DO: Spot objects less than a foot across

WHAT THEY CAN'T DO: Can't spot faces, so they're not particularly useful for finding Osama bin Laden

High-Altitude Planes --The Air Force's U-2 uses cameras and radar to photograph smaller areas than a satellite can manage

WHAT THEY CAN DO: Survey an area for hours at a time, day or night, in any weather

WHAT THEY CAN'T DO: The photos from U-2s are not as sharp as a drone's; vulnerable to long-range missiles

Drones --Unmanned craft like the Predator can carry out reconnaissance missions at lower altitudes; prototypes of the Global Hawk, an advanced, higher-flying drone, could also see some action

WHAT THEY CAN DO: Provide real-time photos and videos of small areas of enemy activity

WHAT THEY CAN'T DO: Can't cover a large area quickly or work well in bad weather

ATTACK Once a target is spotted, the U.S. has numerous ways to strike it

Aircraft --AC-130 Spectre and Spooky gunships are flying artillery platforms that give air cover to ground troops

WHAT THEY CAN DO: Lay down punishing fire over a narrow swath of terrain; accurate from an altitude of 10,000 ft.

WHAT THEY CAN'T DO: Can't quickly escape ground or missile fire

Strategic Bombers --The B-52 Stratofortress has a range of 8,800 miles and can carry just about any munition, including nuclear weapons

WHAT THEY CAN DO: Destroy Taliban strongholds, air force, air defenses

WHAT THEY CAN'T DO: Can't avoid causing "collateral damage" to civilians

Helicopters --MH-53J Pave Lows and MH-60K Black Hawks are crammed with sophisticated electronics and navigation systems

WHAT THEY CAN DO: Pave Lows can follow terrain at treetop level, carry commandos 600 miles and evade Stinger missiles

WHAT THEY CAN'T DO: May find it difficult to hover at mountain altitudes

Precision Munitions --Guided by laser or GPS systems, these "smart" bombs and cruise missiles home in on preprogrammed targets

WHAT THEY CAN DO: Hit a building, vehicle or artillery emplacement with high accuracy

WHAT THEY CAN'T DO: Can't strike their target 100% of the time; laser-guided bombs can be defeated by cloud cover

High-Tech Gear --U.S. ground forces dropped into Afghanistan will be supplied with the latest weapons and equipment, including:

High-altitude, low-opening parachutes Sniper guns with laser scopes Explosives and grenades Bulletproof body armor Secure, satellite-linked laptops Night-vision goggles Earphones and throat microphones Lasers for directing aircraft and missiles

SPECIAL OPS Includes Green Berets, Rangers, SEALs and the ultrasecret Delta Force, trained for unconventional missions

SURVEILLANCE: Infiltrate by parachute, dune buggy or on foot to set up listening posts and periscope-equipped subsurface "hidesites" to monitor and relay intelligence on hostile activity

MOUNTAIN OPERATIONS: Scramble over jagged, ice-covered terrain to launch guerrilla-style attacks