Ace Combat 7 Mission 16 Last Hope is an escort mission where you cannot trust the usual target labels. The satellite network is down, so aircraft and vehicles initially show up as UNKNOWN. Your job is to get General Édouard Labarthe out of Anchorhead Bay, identify threats along his route and keep the later civilian transport from being shot down.
The biggest mistake is firing at every yellow marker before confirming whether it belongs to a friend or enemy. Stay close enough to identify unknown units, then attack the ones confirmed as hostile. A few seconds spent identifying a vehicle can be the difference between saving the convoy and destroying the wrong side.
Ace Combat 7 Mission 16 Last Hope: how to identify UNKNOWN targets
In Operation Gorgon, the usual IFF system is unreliable. Keep an UNKNOWN aircraft or vehicle in your view long enough for the optical identification system to classify it. Holding the target-switch control to focus the camera can make this easier than pointing your entire aircraft at the target.
In Ace Combat 7 Mission 16 Last Hope, yellow UNKNOWN markers are not automatically hostile. After identification, friendly units and enemy targets become distinguishable. Shooting the wrong units can remove points and too much friendly fire can fail the mission. Don’t use a missile lock as proof that you have found an enemy.
Ace Combat 7 Mission 16 Last Hope walkthrough: escort General Labarthe
1. Keep the general’s vehicle moving
General Labarthe travels by road through Anchorhead Bay. You need to protect his vehicle until it reaches the rendezvous point. Unknown ground units may block the road, but some are friendly forces who haven’t received updated orders. Identify them before you attack. Friendly units can stand down once they know who’s travelling with the convoy.
Hostile roadblocks and pursuing vehicles are a different story. Destroy them once they’re identified, especially if Labarthe’s vehicle stops or comes under fire. In Ace Combat 7 Mission 16 Last Hope, don’t disappear across the map after an optional fighter while the general’s car is stuck in front of a hostile unit.
2. Keep identifying targets as the route changes
The convoy may change its route if enemies force it away from the planned road. Watch the moving objective marker and listen to Captain Karl’s warnings from the vehicle. When a new UNKNOWN unit appears ahead of the car, move close enough to classify it, then clear any hostile obstruction before the convoy reaches it.
If the general’s transport is destroyed, the mission ends. Keep your aircraft close enough to respond to fresh attacks, not simply close enough to watch the car driving.
Protect the civilian transport and deal with the drones
Later the objective changes to a civilian transport. First, identify the aircraft attacking it and destroy the ones confirmed as aggressive enemies. Do not fire blindly at an unidentified plane just because it is near the transport.
In the final phase of Ace Combat 7 Mission 16 Last Hope, drone-controlled F/A-18Fs that were escorting the transport turn hostile. MQ-99 drones also launch from container trucks nearby. Keep attacking the marked hostile drones rather than assuming the earlier identification of an aircraft guarantees it will stay friendly for the whole mission.
The key distinction is between the earlier political convoy escort and the later aircraft encounter. Don’t follow an old ground marker once the mission objective has changed. Keep an eye on the updated target labels and concentrate fire where the attack is actually happening.
Best aircraft and loadout for Last Hope
A manoeuvrable multirole aircraft gives you a good balance. You need to follow a vehicle through a city without losing the identification view, destroy ground enemies efficiently and then handle aggressive aircraft and drones. The mission isn’t just about raw speed, so prioritize a jet you can control during low-altitude turns.
For Ace Combat 7 Mission 16 Last Hope, standard missiles are sufficient for many targets. A flexible special weapon can help when several enemies are confirmed hostile, but don’t use a wide-area attack near unidentified or friendly units. Preserving the escort target is more important than earning the quickest possible points.
How to spawn AXEMAN in Mission 16
AXEMAN is the optional Su-35S ace in Ace Combat 7 Mission 16 Last Hope. On a replay at Normal difficulty or higher, earn at least 10,000 points during the first phase to trigger his appearance. He arrives over the southeastern section of the city, but initially appears as UNKNOWN like other unidentified aircraft.
Identify him and shoot him down after you’ve triggered the spawn. Keep checking on Labarthe’s vehicle while hunting the ace; earning enough points doesn’t protect the general from roadblocks or pursuers.
Ace Combat 7 Mission 16 Last Hope: common problems and answers
Why can’t I see which targets are enemies?
That’s the mission’s identification mechanic. Keep the UNKNOWN unit in your view or hold the camera focus control until its status is confirmed. Only then decide whether it needs to be destroyed.
Why is Labarthe’s car not moving?
A roadblock may be obstructing the route, or the car may have been forced onto an alternative road. Identify the nearby UNKNOWN vehicles and remove confirmed hostiles. Some friendly units will stand down once their identification data updates.
Are the F/A-18F escort aircraft always friendly?
No. The later encounter in Ace Combat 7 Mission 16 Last Hope includes drone-controlled F/A-18Fs turning hostile, along with MQ-99 drones. Follow the mission’s latest target indicators rather than relying on their earlier role.
For the previous mission, see our Ace Combat 7 Mission 15 Battle for Farbanti walkthrough. This mission is the opposite of Farbanti’s score attack: deliberate identification and keeping your escort safe are the priorities.
Official game information and artwork: Bandai Namco Entertainment.
