You drop into a ranked lobby and the first decision feels heavier than the match itself. Your opponent already picked a jet that laughs at your loadout. I’ve lost matches for picking the wrong plane—and learned how to stop doing that.
I’ve flown these birds across PS5 and Steam lobbies, tested payloads in Arcade and Multiplayer, and yes: I paid for the Premium Ace Pass Season 1 so I could report back with experience, not hearsay. You’ll get concise judgments, practical trade-offs, and what to avoid when the scoreboard matters. You’ll also see which planes are worth mastering for SR climbs and which ones make good practice tools for your next squad.
Squadrons fill up on PS5 and Steam within seconds — complete Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve aircraft tier list
For the offline campaign, the game often hands you the plane you need. For Multiplayer and Custom Matches, your choice becomes a statement: performance, counters, and comfort. I split the roster into four tiers so you can pick by goal: fragging, survival, or support.
- S-tier — The handful that consistently win fights, control space, and tilt rounds.
- A-tier — Excellent tools that demand a bit of finesse or situational use.
- B-tier — Solid in the right hands or with the right setup; not forgiving.
- C-tier — Serviceable, but there are better choices for each role.
Which aircraft is best in Ace Combat 8?
Short answer: it depends on role and how much you want to suffer learning a kit. If you want a single answer for PvP dominance, there are a few clear standouts below.
What fighters should I pick for multiplayer matches?
Choose by match type: dogfights and assassination modes reward agility and stealth; fleet raids and anti-surface maps favor payload and survivability. Your control method—controller, HOTAS, or keyboard—also changes value. I’ll call out planes that benefit from specific setups and communities on Reddit and Discord that test them.
S-tier
| Aircraft | Reason |
|---|---|
| F-22A | Arguably the best stealth option for PvP; base firepower and survivability make it a go-to in ranked matches — the F-22A is a ghost in the sky. |
| FA-36 Game | An all-rounder that balances speed, loadout flexibility, and ease of use; great for players climbing from casual to competitive. |
| Typhoon | Exceptional payload capacity and hardpoint options let you tailor it to anti-air or anti-ship roles with raw punch. |
| Su-57 Felon | A stealth competitor to the F-22A; trades a touch of stability for sharper burst windows and strong missiles. |
| Su-47 Berkut | High speed, distinct ability, and strong firepower — it performs when you press the advantage fast. |
| ADFX-02 Morgan | Fun and powerful, but gated behind the Premium Ace Pass Season 1; consider it a paid spike in capability for those who invest. |
A-tier
These planes win if you can read the match and exploit openings.
| Aircraft | Reason |
|---|---|
| Su-355 Flanker-E | Breathtaking speed, but weapons require precision and timing to convert that speed into kills. |
| Rafale M | Sharp close-quarters fighter; shines when you force tight engagements and control radar angles. |
| F-35C Lightning II | Stealth-y versatility — not as dominant as the F-22A or Su-57, but flexible across roles. |
| F14D Super Tomcat | One of the longest engagement ranges in the game; its weapon permissions are quirky and demand practice. |
| Gripen E | Blinding agility in expert hands — Gripen E is a razor; in average hands it gets chewed up, so practice is non-negotiable. |
| F/A-18C Hornet | Great starter pick: forgiving handling and dependable firepower that helps you learn the flow of combat. |
| Mirage 2000-S | Balanced performer with no glaring weaknesses; reliable for objective play and place-holding. |
| F/A-18E/F Super Hornet | Excellent when facing heavy anti-surface opposition — solid payload and survivability options. |
| F-15C/J Eagle | Fast, with strong defensive kits and evasive options; good for players who prefer hit-and-run meta. |
B-tier
Use these if you want to specialize or if you value comfort over peak performance.
| Aircraft | Reason |
|---|---|
| Su-33 Flanker-D | Carrier-friendly and user-friendly, but struggles versus higher top-speed opponents. |
| F-16C Fighting Falcon | Agile and responsive, yet it’s shadowed by faster or more versatile picks in its bracket. |
| F-15E Strike Eagle | Strong damage output but weaker defensively; best when you can rely on teammates to screen threats. |
| MiG-29A | Good training plane for close-quarters combat basics; forgiving learning curve. |
| EA-18 Growler | Hybrid support that doesn’t dominate any single stat but fills strategic niches in team play. |
C-tier
These are not bad — they just have sharper alternatives for the same role.
- MiG-21 bis Fishbed
- F-4E Phantom II
- F-14A Tomcat
- MG-31B Foxhound
- A-10C Thunderbolt II
- Su-34 Fullback
- Su-244M Frogfoot
- EA-6B Prowler
- A-6E Intruder
Expect the list to shift as Bandai Namco adds planes or balance patches. If you follow testing channels on YouTube, check player logs on Reddit, and try setups on Steam, you’ll refine what each jet does against a live meta.
I’ve mapped out the roles, the trade-offs, and the specific match types where each aircraft wins—now tell me: which jet will tilt your next match?