THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, October 28, 1994               TAG: 9410280609
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A13  EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: THE WASHINGTON POST 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                         LENGTH: Short :   31 lines

U.S. REPORTEDLY TO DOUBLE JETS BASED IN GULF

The United States plans to nearly double the warplanes stationed indefinitely in the Persian Gulf. That would give the military more firepower to enforce the Clinton administration's warning to Iraq to keep its most dangerous troops out of easy range of Kuwait.

On the eve of President Clinton's visit to Kuwait, Pentagon officials said Thursday that for the first time, U.S. planes will be based in Kuwait - a squadron of 24 U.S. A-10 ``Warthog'' attack jets, which specialize in destroying tanks. The officials said an announcement will be made in the next few days.

The change is necessary, Pentagon spokesman Kenneth Bacon said, to ensure that Saddam Hussein obeys the demand issued last week by the United States and Britain. They said he must keep Iraq's Republican Guard troops and tanks north of the 32nd parallel about 150 miles from Kuwait.

In total, the defense officials said, about 130 U.S. aircraft will be stationed for long-term duty in the Persian Gulf region, up from about 70 before the most recent crisis with Iraq began this month. by CNB