'Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown' Aircraft Guide: Best Fighter Planes in the Game

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is an aerial combat simulator that lets players take control of a variety of fighter planes. You can use these to take down opposing aircraft.

The game revolves around protagonist Trigger, who is an ace pilot who is tasked with turning the tide of an entire war in his favor. You spend the majority of the game building a reputation and taking down as many enemy aircraft as you can.

There are a ton of different fighter planes that you can choose from in Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses in a dogfight.

Knowing which aircraft is best used for a particular scenario could spell the difference between success and failure. This guide lists down some of the best planes and what they bring to the battlefield.

F-35C Lightning II

This particular aircraft is considered one of the best multi-role fighters in the game and has stats that are nearly on par with endgame aircraft. Upgrading the F-35C Lightning II makes it even better at being flexible in the air, according to Dual Shockers.

This fighter lags behind other endgame aircraft when it comes to air combat but sets itself apart when it comes to anti-ground capabilities. The F-35C Lightning II is equipped with the Stand-Off Dispenser, which is a guiding bomb that will follow your target before releasing its payload.

Su-57

The Su-57 is one of the endgame fighters available in Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown and is an advanced air superiority fighter that is equipped with laser weapons. Its stats are all relatively high but it excels in mobility and stability.

This aircraft's pulse laser special weapon works like an upgraded machine gun as it has better range and speed. Another benefit of this is that it does not suffer drop the same way that other cannons do.

X-02S Strike Wyvern

This fighter plane was designed to have great combat efficiency and incredible speed that outpaces a lot of other aircraft in the game. The X-02S Strike Wyvern's amazing capabilities are a result of its variable wing design that can expand and contract based on its speed.

When it comes to weapons, this aircraft is equipped with 52 four lock-target Air-to-Air Missiles (4AAM), 24 LASMs, and 30 ElectroMagnetic Launchers (EML). These give it a plethora of options in taking down enemy targets, IGN said.

F-22A Raptor

Arguably one of the most popular and one of the most powerful jet fighters players can make use of is the F-22A Raptor. This stealth fighter is a classic and is most known for its weapons that are equipped internally in order to maximize its stealth capabilities.

This aircraft was made even better in Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown as it boasts amazing maneuverability and speed. It also comes with a variety of anti-air weapons that can make quick work of enemies.

General Tips

There are three general plane classes in the game that players can choose from; Fighter, Attacker, and Multirole. Knowing which ones to use for certain missions can help you complete objectives easier.

Fighters are aircraft that are designed to be fast and mobile. They are best used for missions that require you to be fast and agile. On the other hand, Attackers are great options when you need to take down various targets, whether in the air or on the ground.

Lastly, Multirole aircraft provide a certain flexibility so that players can still somewhat excel in both aspects without sacrificing too much. This gives you a chance to be a decent attacker while being able to outmaneuver other planes, according to Newsweek.