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Ace Combat 8 Aircraft Tree: All 34 Planes, MRP Prices and Unlocks (Partial)

Aircraft Last reviewed: Oct 1, 2026

Quick answer

The community Ace Combat Wiki lists 32 playable base-game aircraft, plus the ADFX-02 Morgan -PIXY- (Ace Pass) and the F-14A Tomcat (pre-order bonus), so 34 playable planes in all.[1] Bandai Namco's own aircraft page currently shows 29 of them, each with its role, and says to "Stay Tuned for More Aircraft".[2]

You buy most planes in Campaign Mode with MRP on the branching Aircraft Tree. A node opens once you buy the item before it on that branch.[3][4] The two original endgame jets, the FA-36 Game (750,000 MRP) and the X-40 Nightmare (1,000,000 MRP), appear only after you finish the campaign. Each also needs you to own an F-22A, F-35C or Su-57 first.[5][6]

This is a partial list, last checked Oct 1, 2026. MRP prices are known for 13 planes. Part slots are known for 12. The exact branch links between most planes are not confirmed by a reliable source yet.

How to read the table

  • Role is Bandai Namco's label from the official aircraft page.[2] A dash means the plane is not on that page yet.
  • First copy / Wingman copy are MRP prices from each plane's community wiki page.[1] The wiki says several of these were read from pre-release footage of the tree, so they could change.[7][8] A wingman copy is any extra copy after your first. You buy those to equip your squadron.[4]
  • Slots are part slots as Body / Arms / Misc.[1] They differ by plane.[3]
  • Special weapons: the first weapon listed comes with the plane. A price in brackets is the MRP cost to unlock that weapon for the plane.[1]
  • Not listed means we found no price or slot data yet. It does not mean zero.

Aircraft Tree planes with a known MRP price (cheapest first)

Aircraft Role First copy (MRP) Wingman copy (MRP) Slots B/A/M Special weapons
F-14D Super Tomcat Fighter 90,000 11,250 2/6/3 LAAM · SAAM (9,000) · GPB (9,000)
EA-6B Prowler Electronic 90,000 11,250 4/4/3 ECM · LAGM (9,000) · ESM (9,000)
Mirage 2000-5 Multirole 130,000 16,250 3/6/3 UGB · 4AAM (13,000) · LASM (13,000)
A-10C Thunderbolt II Attacker 180,000 22,500 5/4/3 4AGM · UGB (18,000) · RKT (18,000)
F-16C Fighting Falcon Fighter 180,000 22,500 Not listed 2AAM · QAAM (18,000) · LAGM (18,000)
F-15C Eagle Fighter 240,000 30,000 Not listed 4AAM · HCAA (24,000) · SASM (24,000)
F/A-18E Super Hornet - 240,000 30,000 5/5/3 6AAM · SOD (24,000) · QAAM (24,000)
F/A-18F Super Hornet Multirole 240,000 30,000 3/7/3 LASM · 4AAM (24,000) · GPB (24,000)
Gripen E Multirole 240,000 30,000 Not listed SASM · 6AGM (24,000) · LAAM (24,000)
EA-18G Growler Electronic 350,000 43,750 Not listed ESM · 2AAM (35,000) · ECM (35,000)
F-15E Strike Eagle Attacker 350,000 43,750 Not listed XSDB · SFFS (35,000) · HCAA (35,000)

After the campaign

Aircraft Role Unlock condition First copy (MRP) Special weapons
FA-36 Game Fighter[3] Finish the campaign, then own an F-22A, F-35C or Su-57 750,000 HPAA · SASM · SOD
X-40 Nightmare - Finish the campaign, then own an F-22A, F-35C or Su-57 1,000,000 UAVT · EMLB · QAAM
EA-36 Barricader - (its Aircraft Tree description calls it an EW aircraft based on the FA-36) Not listed Not listed IEWS · 4AAM · XSDB

FA-36 and X-40 sources: their wiki pages.[5][6] EA-36: its wiki page.[9] More on the X-40: X-40 Nightmare.

Aircraft Tree planes with no price listed yet

The wiki assumes these are on the base-game Aircraft Tree "until stated otherwise".[1]

Aircraft Role Slots B/A/M Special weapons Note
F/A-18C Hornet Multirole 3/4/3 4AAM · UGB (2,500) · LASM (3,000) Named as the starting plane (see below)
Typhoon Fighter 3/7/3 4AAM · LAAM · 8AGM
Su-33 Flanker-D Multirole 3/6/3 QAAM · RKT · HVAA
MiG-29A Fulcrum Fighter 4/5/3 HCAA · HPAA · LAGM
F-2A Attacker 4/5/3 LASM · UGB · HVAA
A-6E Intruder Attacker Not listed Not listed
F-4E Phantom II Multirole Not listed Not listed
F-15J Eagle Fighter Not listed Not listed
F-22A Raptor Fighter Not listed Not listed One of the three gates to the FA-36 and X-40
F-35C Lightning II Multirole Not listed Not listed One of the three gates to the FA-36 and X-40
MiG-21bis Fishbed Fighter Not listed Not listed
MiG-31B Foxhound Fighter Not listed Not listed
Rafale M Multirole Not listed Not listed
Su-25SM Frogfoot Attacker Not listed Not listed
Su-34 Fullback Attacker Not listed Not listed
Su-35S Flanker-E Multirole Not listed Not listed
Su-47 Berkut Multirole Not listed Not listed
Su-57 Felon Fighter Not listed Not listed One of the three gates to the FA-36 and X-40

Roles: Bandai Namco.[2] Slots and weapons: each plane's wiki page.[1]

Planes you do not buy with MRP

Aircraft Role How you get it Slots B/A/M Special weapons
F-14A Tomcat Fighter Pre-order bonus on all three platforms[3] 4/4/3 HVAA · SAAM · UGB
ADFX-02 Morgan -PIXY- - Level 1 reward of the Season 1 Premium Ace Pass. Planned for separate sale after the season ends.[10][3] In Campaign Mode you can only fly it after you clear every campaign mission.[11] Not listed TLS · MPBM · IEWS

Edition details: editions and Ace Pass.

Prerequisite chain: what we know about the tree's order

  1. You start with one free plane at the far left of the tree. The tree branches out from there.[12] How To Video Game says the community wiki names the F/A-18C Hornet as the starting plane.[3] Power Up Gaming also calls the F/A-18C "the most common starter".[13] (One guide, GamingAlly, lists the F/A-18F as the starting aircraft instead.[14])
  2. Buy in order along a branch. Items open after you buy the one before them, and you can zoom out to plan a route.[4]
  3. The tree sells three kinds of items: aircraft, special weapons and upgrade parts.[3] Parts are covered on upgrade parts.
  4. Colours tell you what a node is. Per the community wiki: blue = fighters and air-to-air weapons; red = attackers and air-to-ground weapons; purple = multirole planes; green = electronic warfare planes and weapons, plus misc parts; yellow = body parts; orange = arms parts; grey = multi-purpose weapons. An anchor icon marks carrier-based planes.[12] That matters because some campaign missions only allow carrier-capable aircraft.[15]
  5. Endgame gate: the FA-36 and X-40 need a campaign clear plus one of the F-22A, F-35C or Su-57.[5][6]

One author's suggested route (not a confirmed tree layout): Power Up Gaming's Serhii Patskan says to go for the Mirage 2000-5 early, then the F/A-18E or F/A-18F mid-game, then push toward the F-35C and the F-22A late. He also places the EA-18G late.[16] Which plane sits directly before which is not confirmed by a reliable source yet.

Our calculation: two price patterns

These patterns are our calculation from the wiki prices above. They are not an official rule.

  • Wingman copies cost exactly 1/8 of the first copy. All 11 planes with both prices fit this rule: 130,000 / 8 = 16,250 for the Mirage, and 350,000 / 8 = 43,750 for the EA-18G and F-15E.[1] The wiki itself mentions a 7/8 discount on extra airframes.[7]
  • Each plane's unlockable special weapons cost 10% of its first-copy price. The Mirage costs 130,000 and its weapons 13,000. The F-15C costs 240,000 and its weapons 24,000. This holds for all 11 priced planes.[1] The starter F/A-18C (2,500 and 3,000 MRP) has no plane price to compare.
  • Total for the 13 priced planes: 4,080,000 MRP. That is a bit more than one full campaign's 3-4 million MRP payout.[15] Ways to earn it faster are on MRP farm.

Planes people search for that are not on the list

As of Oct 1, 2026, the community wiki's list of playable aircraft does not include a YF-23, XB-70 or OF-21.[1] We found no reliable source that adds them, so treat claims that they are secret aircraft as unconfirmed.

Which planes are worth buying first: best planes.

Sources & References

  1. Ace Combat Wiki (wiki.gg): Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve/Aircraft (edited Sep 29, 2026), plus the linked page for each aircraft (edited Sep 28 to Oct 1, 2026) ↩ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
  2. Bandai Namco: ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE - Aircraft (official site) ↩ 1, 2, 3
  3. How To Video Game: Ace Combat 8: Every Plane and How to Unlock It (Sep 28, 2026) ↩ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
  4. DayOne: Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Review (Jon "Sikamikanico" Clarke) ↩ 1, 2, 3
  5. Ace Combat Wiki (wiki.gg): FA-36 Game ↩ 1, 2, 3
  6. Ace Combat Wiki (wiki.gg): X-40 Nightmare ↩ 1, 2, 3
  7. Ace Combat Wiki (wiki.gg): Mirage 2000-5 ↩ 1, 2
  8. Ace Combat Wiki (wiki.gg): F-15C Eagle ↩
  9. Ace Combat Wiki (wiki.gg): EA-36 Barricader ↩
  10. Bandai Namco Europe: ACE COMBAT ONLINE Multiplayer Mode FAQ ↩
  11. Bandai Namco: ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE official site (FAQ section) ↩
  12. Ace Combat Wiki (wiki.gg): Aircraft Tree ↩ 1, 2
  13. Power Up Gaming: Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve — Best Aircraft Tier List (Serhii Patskan, Sep 29, 2026) ↩
  14. GamingAlly: Ace Combat 8: Air Combat and Flight Guide (Aras Çelik, Sep 30, 2026) ↩
  15. PowerPyx: Ace Combat 8 Wings of Theve Trophy Guide & Roadmap (Jack McBastard, Sep 29, 2026) ↩ 1, 2
  16. Power Up Gaming: Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve — Best Loadouts & MRP Paths (Serhii Patskan, Sep 30, 2026) ↩

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