Ace Combat 7 best aircraft choices depend on what you have unlocked and what the next mission asks you to destroy. An expensive air-superiority fighter is brilliant when the sky is full of enemy jets, but it can be a poor choice when you need to clear ships or ground installations against the clock.
That is why we would not recommend one plane for absolutely everything. Instead, these are the aircraft worth considering for early campaign progress, mixed objectives, naval strikes and harder endgame sorties. These are base-game picks, with the separate DLC aircraft kept out of the early progression advice.
Ace Combat 7 best aircraft by mission type
| Aircraft | Best use | Why we’d pick it |
|---|---|---|
| F-16C Fighting Falcon | Opening campaign | Your free starting aircraft and an easy place to learn missile locks. |
| F/A-18F Super Hornet | Mixed sorties and naval targets | Good multirole handling; available LASM and QAAM options. |
| F-15E Strike Eagle | Mixed air and ground operations | 6AAM for groups of aircraft, SFFS for ground targets. |
| A-10C Thunderbolt II | Ground-heavy missions | Attack-focused loadout with bombs, rockets and anti-ground missiles. |
| F-22A Raptor | Late campaign and demanding air battles | High-end fighter with QAAM and 8AAM choices. |
| X-02S Strike Wyvern | Post-campaign replay | Endgame aircraft with powerful weapons once unlocked. |
This Ace Combat 7 best aircraft list is a starting point, not a claim that the game has one permanent meta. A loadout that feels fantastic against planes can be much less efficient against fleets. Your special weapon selection changes the answer as much as the aircraft itself.
Ace Combat 7 best aircraft for early missions
The F-16C is better than its starting status makes it sound. It is available immediately, has standard missiles and gives you a chance to learn the basics before spending MRP. If you’re missing targets, buying a much faster fighter will not solve the underlying issue. Practise positioning first.
For a useful early upgrade, the F/A-18F is one of the more flexible choices to work towards. It is a multirole aircraft rather than a specialist, with weapon options that suit both air engagements and ship attacks. You still have to purchase the relevant equipment through the Aircraft Tree.
Which Ace Combat 7 best aircraft is good against ships?
For Mission 11, Fleet Destruction, a plane carrying LASM is an excellent option. This mission asks you to reach a score target by destroying ships and platforms, so reliable long-range anti-ship attacks can be more useful than winning individual dogfights.
The F/A-18F can equip LASM, which makes it worth considering for this sortie. The X-02S also has an anti-ship option if you are replaying missions after unlocking it. Check each aircraft’s available special weapons in the hangar before you begin.
The important tactical point is to attack ship targets from a sensible angle and watch for defensive guns. In Fleet Destruction you can also take out platform support structures rather than individually destroying every object on the deck. The right target is often more important than raw aircraft speed.
Ace Combat 7 best aircraft for ground targets
The A-10C is a dedicated attacker and has access to unguided bombs, rockets and multi-target air-to-ground missiles. It is a sensible choice for a sortie packed with ground targets where you can work methodically rather than spend the whole mission chasing fast aircraft.
The F-15E offers another useful approach. Its SFFS weapon gives it a ground-attack option while the aircraft remains capable of air combat. We particularly like having a multirole choice available when the mission briefing suggests you will be switching between target types.
Which Ace Combat 7 best aircraft should you save for?
The F-22A Raptor is a late-tree fighter with strong air-combat performance. It can use QAAM for manoeuvring targets, 8AAM for multiple aircraft and XSDB for ground attack. You won’t have all three choices available in one loadout, and additional weapons may need separate MRP purchases.
The X-02S Strike Wyvern is a post-campaign goal rather than a reasonable first purchase. It is extremely powerful, but getting it requires far more than a quick shopping trip after Mission 1. Think of it as something to aim for when returning to earlier missions or chasing S ranks.
How to choose the right plane for Ace difficulty
Before selecting from any Ace Combat 7 best aircraft recommendation, look at the mission requirements. If you need to protect allies, killing a marked enemy quickly matters. If you need to hit a score target against ground installations, a wide-area ground weapon can save valuable time. When the objective changes halfway through, a multirole aircraft offers some insurance.
- Check the mission briefing before shopping for a new plane.
- Read the aircraft’s special weapon choices, not only its speed and handling stats.
- Avoid buying a weapon that sounds good but doesn’t match your actual target type.
- Fit suitable aircraft parts for the mode you are playing.
- For S-rank attempts, favour a plane you can fly accurately instead of a faster one you constantly overshoot with.
There are plenty of capable aircraft that aren’t in this Ace Combat 7 best aircraft shortlist. Choose your equipment for the mission you’re actually flying. Sometimes unlocking a useful special weapon does more for you than buying another jet.
If you are still building your hangar, our Ace Combat 7 Aircraft Tree guide explains how to purchase planes and weapons. New pilots can start with the Ace Combat 7 Beginner Guide.
Related Guides
Official source: Bandai Namco official Ace Combat 7 aircraft catalogue.
