ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE Best Planes: Su-57 or X-40

Which plane should you unlock first?

Mirage 2000-5 — recommended early purchase

The Mirage 2000-5 branches directly from the starting F/A-18C Hornet. Its maneuverability, six Arms slots and mixed weapon options make it a useful choice for the first 10 missions while saving MRP for later aircraft.

F-2A — choose for ships and mixed targets

Choose F-2A when you want a durable multirole attacker with LASM and UGB for ships and ground weapons. Its Hyper Velocity air-to-air missile adds fast, long-range aerial engagement. This branch also leads toward F-22A Raptor; use the aircraft tree when planning that investment.

F-16 C Fighting Falcon — choose for air combat with a ground option

Choose F-16 C for speed, maneuverability, 2AAM and QAAM against aerial opponents, including Shadow Flight. LAGM gives it a ground-attack option, though toughness is a weakness. It also opens a path toward F-22A; compare the available aircraft in the aircraft list before committing MRP.

Which planes suit mixed air and ground missions?

Use the target mix in your campaign missions to choose between these options.

Su-57 Felon — recommended versatile later choice

Su-57 combines speed and maneuverability with QAAM and HCAA for aerial targets, plus LACM for ground attacks. Its upgrade capacity makes it a strong pick when you want to adapt one aircraft to several roles.

Rafale M — choose for tough land targets

Rafale M balances maneuverability, speed and air-to-ground flexibility. Choose its LACM for tough land targets such as Aegis and Land Battleships. High-capacity air-to-air missiles support fights against mobile aircraft; its long-range air-to-air option takes more control to use well.

Gripen E — choose for changing objectives

Gripen E emphasizes maneuverability, flexible upgrades and multirole use over the raw speed or firepower of heavier aircraft. Its listed special weapons are SASM, 6AGM and LAAM.

Which planes suit dedicated air combat?

MiG-21bis Fishbed — choose for close-range gun attacks

Choose MiG-21bis if you enjoy approaching from behind and fighting at short distances. Its MGP increases close-range firepower, while SASM and QAAM provide missile options against aerial targets. Its agility is a strength; overall firepower is more limited.

MiG-31B Foxhound — choose for speed and aerial interception

MiG-31B offers rapid acceleration, high speed and an air-to-air arsenal of LAAM, SAAM and QAAM. SAAM requires sustained focus on the target. It has five Body slots and four Arms slots, and cannot perform post-stall maneuvers.

Choose between close-range gun combat and missile interception according to how you prefer to fly. Check the difficulty levels when deciding which challenge you want to tackle with that aircraft.

Should you use FA-36 or X-40 at endgame?

FA-36 — recommended if X-40 feels awkward

FA-36 has positive player impressions, including from a pilot disappointed by X-40's railgun aiming and UAVs. That makes it a reasonable alternative to try. A measured performance advantage over X-40 is not confirmed yet.

X-40 — choose if you enjoy burst railgun aiming

X-40 is described as a post-campaign reward with a three-shot burst railgun. Players praise the railgun's power but also report aiming difficulties, awkward UAV use and limited special-weapon ammunition.

If your reaction is “Endgame plane is... underwhelming.”, consider FA-36. X-40 is a more appealing choice when its railgun suits your aiming style.