Ace Combat 8 Aircraft Tree unlocks after completing Campaign Mission 02, “Nomad.” It is where you spend Military Result Points (MRP) on aircraft, special weapons and upgrade parts. You must buy the connected nodes leading towards a plane before it becomes available, even if you already have enough MRP for the aircraft itself.
You’ll start in the F/A-18C Hornet and gradually open new branches as you play. Below are all 30 aircraft purchase prices, the routes to important late-game planes and the extra costs that can catch players out.
Ace Combat 8 Aircraft Tree: When and How to Unlock It
The Ace Combat 8 Aircraft Tree menu becomes available after Mission 02. Every Campaign mission you complete earns MRP, and you can earn more through Training and later Free Mission replays. Each purchase opens whatever nodes are connected directly beyond it, including branching choices.
To reach a locked jet, find it on the screen and trace its lines backwards towards aircraft or parts you already own. Then buy the missing items along the route. You don’t need every branch of the tree to finish the story; choosing one aircraft destination is usually cheaper than buying everything as soon as it appears.
Ace Combat 8 Aircraft Tree: Every Aircraft Price
Thirty aircraft have MRP prices. Your starting F/A-18C Hornet is free, and the A-6E Intruder becomes available without an MRP aircraft purchase after Mission 14, “Two on the Run.” The F-14A pre-order bonus and the Season 1 ADFX-02 Morgan are acquired outside the normal tree.
| MRP price | Aircraft |
|---|---|
| 25,000 | F-4E Phantom II, MiG-21bis Fishbed |
| 90,000 | F-14D Super Tomcat, Su-25SM Frogfoot, EA-6B Prowler |
| 130,000 | Mirage 2000-5, F-2A, MiG-29A Fulcrum, MiG-31B Foxhound |
| 180,000 | Su-33 Flanker-D, Su-47 Berkut, F-16C Fighting Falcon, A-10C Thunderbolt II |
| 240,000 | F/A-18E, F/A-18F, Gripen E, F-15C Eagle, F-15J Eagle, Su-34 Fullback |
| 350,000 | Rafale M, Su-35S Flanker-E, Typhoon, F-15E Strike Eagle, EA-18G Growler |
| 550,000 | F-22A Raptor, F-35C Lightning II, Su-57 Felon |
| 750,000 | FA-36 Game, EA-36 Barricader (post-campaign) |
| 1,000,000 | X-40 Nightmare (post-campaign) |
The thirty MRP-priced planes cost 8,900,000 MRP in total if you purchase one of each. That figure excludes connecting parts, additional special weapons and copies for your wingmen. Visit our complete Aircraft List for all 34 playable planes by role and their unlock methods.
Ace Combat 8 Aircraft Tree: F-35C Lightning II Route
A commonly documented Multirole path starts with the free F/A-18C and continues to the Mirage 2000-5 (130,000 MRP), either F/A-18E or F/A-18F Super Hornet (240,000), the EA-18G Growler (350,000) and finally the F-35C Lightning II (550,000).
The four paid aircraft on that example path add up to 1,270,000 MRP. Connecting upgrade nodes cost extra. Some community diagrams show an alternative Super Hornet approach that doesn’t require every earlier aircraft, so check your own tree’s connections before assuming that exact route is mandatory. The F-35C’s own node remains 550,000 MRP once the prerequisite path is open.
Follow our F-35C Lightning II unlock guide if that’s your destination. It is also one of the three late-tree jets that can unlock original aircraft after Mission 30.
Ace Combat 8 Aircraft Tree: Why a Super Hornet Costs More Than 240,000 MRP
A published community route to the F/A-18E Super Hornet costs 410,000 MRP, including 240,000 for the plane and 170,000 for eight earlier part nodes. Its path contains Aileron Auxiliary Pressurization Device, Lightweight Blisk, Flap Auxiliary Pressurization Device, Takeoff Weight Augmentation (MSL), Reinforced Mount (Air-to-Ground MSL), Air-to-Air Electronic Optical Hybrid Sight, Bomb Noise Filter and Superior Maneuverability.
That is a community-mapped route, not a Bandai Namco-certified cheapest path, but it shows what the Ace Combat 8 Aircraft Tree demands. Prices on plane icons don’t include the parts you must buy to reach those planes, and the total can change if you’ve already purchased some nodes on a connected route.
Ace Combat 8 Aircraft Tree: FA-36 Game, EA-36 and X-40 Nightmare
After finishing Mission 30: Song of Wings, three original aircraft become available through the Ace Combat 8 Aircraft Tree. They also need specific previous purchases, so completing the final mission isn’t enough by itself.
FA-36 Game: Own an F-22A Raptor, F-35C Lightning II or Su-57 Felon, then pay 750,000 MRP for the FA-36. Only one qualifying late-tree aircraft is necessary.
EA-36 Barricader: First buy the FA-36 Game, then pay another 750,000 MRP for the EA-36. Its aircraft purchases alone therefore add another 1,500,000 MRP after the qualifying jet, without counting connecting parts.
X-40 Nightmare: Own an F-22A, F-35C or Su-57, finish the story, then buy the X-40 for 1,000,000 MRP. You don’t need the FA-36 to obtain the X-40.
Independent route maps estimate about 1,850,000 MRP for one FA-36 path from a fresh tree and 2,600,000 MRP for the EA-36 route, but some of the mapped connections are disputed. The aircraft prices and named prerequisites are firmer than those full-route estimates.
See our individual FA-36 Game, EA-36 Barricader and X-40 Nightmare guides for each purchase.
Ace Combat 8 Aircraft Tree: Special Weapons and Upgrade Parts
Every aircraft includes its default special weapon. The other two special weapons normally cost extra MRP and can be bought from the connected tree. You only have to purchase a weapon on a route if it is one of the nodes that leads to your intended aircraft.
Aircraft upgrades come in three groups: Body parts for speed, manoeuvrability or stability; Arms parts for weapons; and Misc parts for additional effects. Purchased parts can be equipped on different aircraft, although each airframe has limits for its Body, Arms and Misc slots. You must equip them in the loadout menu after buying them.
Early parts such as the Aileron Auxiliary Pressurization Device and Lightweight Blisk cost 7,500 MRP each on documented routes. They can help the starting Hornet before you can afford an expensive jet. Our Best Upgrade Parts and Best Special Weapons guides cover what to use.
Ace Combat 8 Aircraft Tree: Aircraft Copies for Wingmen
Your first jet purchase is for your own aircraft. If you want Joker Flight wingmen to fly the same model, you need extra copies. Launch guides report that each wingman copy costs one eighth of the plane’s original MRP price.
For example, a second F/A-18E Super Hornet costs 30,000 MRP after you own the 240,000-MRP original. An extra 550,000-MRP jet costs 68,750 MRP. It’s worth waiting until you know which aircraft you want your wingmen to use instead of buying several unnecessary copies.
Ace Combat 8 Aircraft Tree: Free Mission and Online Progress
All Campaign tree purchases stay available in Free Mission and later Campaign playthroughs. Replay completed missions to earn more MRP and finish branches you skipped. The MRP Farming guide covers repeatable sorties for building up your balance.
Ace Combat Online has its own progression and currency. Campaign purchases do not transfer into Online. The Season 1 ADFX-02 Morgan comes from the Premium Ace Pass instead of an ordinary MRP node, and Bandai Namco says it becomes usable in Campaign after all campaign missions are complete.
Ace Combat 8 Aircraft Tree: Why Is My Plane Still Locked?
When an aircraft is visible but cannot be bought, follow its connected nodes back to your current purchases. You may still need an intermediate part or weapon. For FA-36, EA-36 and X-40, check that Mission 30 is complete and the qualifying aircraft are actually owned.
Some missions require carrier-capable aircraft, marked with an anchor symbol in the tree. Check that before buying an aircraft specifically for a carrier sortie. For the Patron of the Parts trophy, the Ace Combat 8 Aircraft Tree must be completed with every aircraft, extra special weapon and upgrade part purchased, not just the 30 MRP-priced planes.
Our Trophies and Achievements guide includes that completion requirement. For your first campaign, unlock aircraft you actually need for upcoming targets, and leave full-tree collection for Free Mission cleanup after the story.
Related Guides
The Ace Combat 8 Aircraft Tree starts after Mission 02 and continues growing long after your first campaign clear. Work backwards from the aircraft you want, buy the connecting parts, and keep enough MRP for the weapons that make it useful. Post-campaign jets can wait until you’re ready for their higher-priced branches.
Official sources: Bandai Namco’s walkthrough and game FAQ. Pricing and unlock routes checked against Neoseeker, Games.gg and the independent MRP route map.
