Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve has more than 30 playable aircraft, per Bandai Namco, and you unlock most of them in Campaign Mode by spending MRP (Military Result Points) on the branching Aircraft Tree. A few planes sit outside the tree: the F-14A is a pre-order bonus, the ADFX-02 Morgan -PIXY- comes from the Season 1 Premium Ace Pass, and online mode has its own separate unlocks.
Below is every plane Bandai Namco has confirmed so far, sorted by role, followed by how the tree, MRP and the bonus planes work. This covers the launch version on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam), including the Deluxe Edition’s early access that opened on September 28, 2026, which our launch trailer news covers.
How Many Planes Ace Combat 8 Has
Bandai Namco’s launch-date post on the PlayStation Blog says players can pilot “over 30 different aircraft,” mixing real-world jets with original fictional models. The official aircraft page currently lists 23 of them with their roles and adds “Stay Tuned for More Aircraft.”
Seven more were named in Bandai Namco’s September 14 story trailer press information, as reported by Famitsu. That brings the officially named roster to 30, before counting the Ace Pass jet.
The community wiki, working from trailers and early-access footage, also lists the F/A-18E Super Hornet as the game’s flagship jet, plus further fictional aircraft. Reviewers, including Hardcore Gamer, say those fictional planes unlock after you finish the campaign, so we are leaving their names out to avoid spoilers.
Every Confirmed Plane by Role
Every aircraft belongs to one of four roles, per Bandai Namco: Fighter, Attacker, Multirole and Electronic Warfare. The online mode page describes the split: fighters “excel in quarrying their prey,” attackers run “wild over the battlefield,” multirole jets are “ideal for rounding out team compositions,” and electronic warfare aircraft “support allies and disrupt enemies.”
| Role | On the official aircraft page | Added in September press info |
|---|---|---|
| Fighter | F-14D Super Tomcat, F-15C Eagle, F-15J Eagle, F-22A Raptor, MiG-21bis Fishbed, MiG-29A Fulcrum, MiG-31B Foxhound, Su-57 Felon, Typhoon, F-14A (pre-order bonus) | F-16C Fighting Falcon, FA-36 Game (original to Ace Combat 8) |
| Multirole | Mirage 2000-5, F/A-18C Hornet, F/A-18F Super Hornet, Su-33 Flanker-D, F-35C Lightning II, F-4E Phantom II, Rafale M | Gripen E, Su-35S Flanker-E, Su-47 Berkut |
| Attacker | F-2A, A-10C Thunderbolt II, Su-25SM Frogfoot, Su-34 Fullback | F-15E Strike Eagle, A-6E Intruder |
| Electronic Warfare | EA-6B Prowler, EA-18G Growler | None yet |
| Ace Pass | ADFX-02 Morgan -PIXY- (Season 1 Premium Ace Pass) |
Two notes from the official descriptions help when you plan purchases. The Mirage 2000-5 is described as having “inherently excellent flying stability,” while the MiG-21bis has “tricky controls” that “ask a lot of the pilot.” Our best early plane guide goes deeper on what to fly first.
How the Aircraft Tree and MRP Work
Bandai Namco’s walkthrough page says you “unlock additional fighter jets using MRP, an in-game currency earned in mission.” The official Ace Combat account on X added in August that the Aircraft Tree sells three things (aircraft, upgrade parts and special weapons) and has “multiple branching paths,” so you pick a route toward the jets you want.
How it plays out, per launch reviews:
- Nodes unlock in order. DayOne reports that items unlock after you buy the one before them on a branch, so you can zoom out and plan a route.
- Your mission rank sets the payout. CGMagazine says MRP is granted by rank, which weighs enemies destroyed, time taken and whether you used checkpoints. DayOne adds that finished missions can be replayed for an S rank.
- Wingmen need planes too. You buy aircraft for Joker Flight as well, and DayOne says extra copies of a plane you already own cost less. The trophy list even has one, Birds of a Feather, for buying the same aircraft for your wingmen.
- Parts fit most jets. Upgrade parts come in BODY, ARMS and MISC types, and the number of slots varies by plane, per the official account. CGMagazine found parts could go on any aircraft, limited only by slots.
We have not seen verified MRP prices for individual nodes, so we are not listing costs. For scale, the trophy list rewards earning 16,000,000 MRP in total (Need A Bigger Bank) and 25,000,000 MRP (MRP Aplenty), and Patron of the Parts asks you to own every aircraft, special weapon and part. Our trophy list covers all of them.
Planes You Do Not Buy With MRP
- F-14A: included with every pre-order on all three platforms. The Steam page notes that pre-order bonuses other than Ace Combat Zero may be released at a later date.
- ADFX-02 Morgan -PIXY-: the Level 1 reward of the Season 1 Premium Ace Pass. Deluxe Edition owners unlock it instantly with their voucher, but Bandai Namco’s FAQ says it is only usable in Campaign Mode once you complete all campaign missions. Pass aircraft are planned for separate purchase after their season ends.
- Deluxe skins: the F-4E Mobius Squadron 25th Anniversary and F/A-18C Team Zvezda skins also unlock in Campaign Mode only after every mission is done. Our editions guide compares what each version includes.
Online Mode Has Its Own Hangar
Bandai Namco’s FAQ says Ace Combat Online uses the same roster as Campaign Mode but is “a standalone experience.” Aircraft there “must be acquired through rewards earned as a mercenary pilot,” and a higher mercenary rank opens more of them. Online planes also level up as they survive sorties, and the Air Base’s ACE COMBAT STORE sells aircraft for currency earned in online missions. Our multiplayer guide covers the modes, and every other topic is on our Ace Combat 8 guides hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many planes are in Ace Combat 8? Bandai Namco says over 30. Thirty are named in official material so far, plus the Ace Pass jet and post-campaign fictional aircraft reported by reviewers.
What plane do you start with? Hardcore Gamer names the F/A-18 Hornet as a starting plane and the community wiki specifies the F/A-18C, and pre-order owners also get the F-14A.
Do campaign planes carry over to online mode? No. Online mode has separate progression and save data, so you earn its aircraft through mercenary rewards instead.
Can you unlock every plane without paying extra? The MRP tree covers the base roster. The ADFX-02 is a Premium Ace Pass reward, and Bandai Namco says pass aircraft go on separate sale after their season.
Is there a trophy for owning every plane? Yes. Fully Kitted Out asks for at least 20 aircraft types, and Patron of the Parts asks for every aircraft, special weapon and upgrade part in Campaign Mode.