Before you go to SP missions with S-Rank, try to unlock better aircrafts since the enemy aircrafts are so agile and tricky. Also, unlock additional parts as many as possible.



The aircrafts I am going to mention here to finish the missions aren't mandatory aircrafts for you all. For example, I use F-14A TGM for SP1, but you can use F-22A with its QAAMs to finisih the job. Same with SP2 where Su-35S can be replaced by Su-34 with its 4AGMs, and SP3 where F-35C can be replaced by ADFX-01 with its MPBMs. So choose to your liking as long as it suits your playing style.

At last, I finish all the mission with only keyboard (no mouse or even HOTAS controller) so I think everyone can do it too.

Aircraft used : F-14A Top Gun Maverick
Special weapon : Long range Air-to-Air Missile (LAAM)
Part used :

• Variable Cycle Engine
  
• Superior Maneuverability
  
• Queen's Custom
  
• Directional Proximity Fuze (MSL)
  
• Takeoff Weight Augmentation (MSL)
  
• Takeoff Weight Augmentation (Sp. W)
  
• Electronic Optical Hybrid Sight (Sp. W)

When mission starts, shoot enemies (preferably, F/A-18F) on the center of your screen with LAAMs. After that, approach the Su-57s (there are two pair of Su-57s in formation) on the left side. Put your aircraft on their back and then shoot them. If you're lucky. there will be another formation consists of four F-15E ready to be taken down not far from Su-57s. Then try to eliminate all F-22As in the sky.

Now that both of F-22A and Su-57 are gone, it's time to hunt another aircrafts. In my case, I consider not only the score one enemy aircraft can produce, but also how hard it is to be killed. So here's my priority target :

1. F-35C, 2 missiles, 800
2. Typhoon, 2 missiles, 650
3. F-15E, 2 missiles, 600
4. F/A-18F, 2 missiles, 500
5. YF-23, 3 missiles, 800
6. F-4E, 2 missiles, 220
7. MiG-31B, 3 missiles, 500

The red (in my case, I change it to blue to trick my eyes to pick less important targets so I can reach higher score) targets which appear later (Harriers and Su-34s) can easily be shot down. Just make your way to their back and use all of your weapons. Also, shoot all of EA-18Gs once they enter the AO. If you can, destroy them all before the hitmen hired by Clemens appear.



And the Mimic Squadron comes to AO. I would recommend to disengage them first until you get ESM support, as fighting without it can be waste of time since both Su-47s are difficult to be taken down. As long as you're within ESM range, you have more advantage.

After Mimic Squadron pulls out from AO, continue to protect- I mean shoot all of the available enemies. Consider to shoot all of AA Guns too, especially before or after shooting Howitzers. Continue to attack enemies until the time is up. Even when time is up, keep dogfighting.

If you lack special weapons to shoot down SACS easily, feel free to restart from checkpoint, considering LAAM is good to shoot down fast aircrafts that leave us behind. But make sure to do it fast. Before you're going to catch up with SACS which tries to run, dump some LAAMs to random F-15E on the left. Let luck does the work. At last make sure to shoot all of escorting Rafales before shooting the one which is red-marked.

Aircrat used : Su-35S
Special weapon : Long Range Air-to-Ship MIssile (LASM)
Parts used :

• Cutting-Edge Airbrakes
  
• Variable Cycle Engine
  
• ECU Software Update
  
• Queen's Custom
  
• Takeoff Weight Augmentation (MSL)
  
• Electronic Optical Hybrid Sight
  
• Takeoff Weight Augmentation (Sp. W)

Gobble Count's targets, which I mean two Aegis Ashores. Shoot one on the right first; Anchor Bay and then on the left; Dakiouk Bay. And then zoom to the left side where there are sitting duck AD Tanks . Slow down you aircraft, point the aircraft's nose at them, and shoot them all until none left. When all of AD Tanks in that area are gone, it's time to hunt Container Boxes which contain MQ-99s. We all know MQ-99 can be annoying thanks for its agility. Go to the left where there are two container ships carrying the targets. Destroy all of them as fast as possible (before the chat about scrambling all defenses ends) and you get significant amount of score (350 from Container Box and 350 from MQ-99, hence 700 each box). And the rest is yours to decide, but make sure to eliminate all threat on Dakiouk Bay before heading to the north. There are some ships in that area but release LASM carefully as it tends to hit buildings for flying low. And there's HVT in MV-22. If you are close enough to it, shoot it down as it provides great amount of score with just 1 MSL required. But if you are far from it, there's no need to hunt it.



Anchor Bay provides Trigger with abundant amount of ships to be sunk, hence LASM should be utilized as often as possible. But even so, again, use LASM carefully. When you are on your way to Anchor Bay from Dakiouk Bay, I recommend to release 2 LASMs toward Battle Cruiser which is near to open sea, not far from destroyed Aegis Ashore instead of targets which haven't crossed the bridge. While LASMs are being reloaded, do some dogfight with enemy aircrafts, especially Su-37 for score (and Su-35S which comes as reinforcement). And then destroy the rest of the ships, but keep LASM trajectory and enemy CIWS in mind. Also do some dogfight in-between. Also, no need to use LASM to sink a frigate, just use two MSLs.

After time passes, another fleet comes from the east, where mission was started. This time, LASM's usage is less restricted since there's no obstacle like buildings or ports. Destroy all of the ships. While F-2A that spawns with the fleet isn't truly worthy to be shot down, a score is score. Shoot them all while waiting LASM to be reloaded.



When you're done, go to Return Line, which isn't far from you. Change LASM to LAAM. There will be another HVT, and LAAM suits the job well. So while chasing the score by destroying anything near Dakiouk Bay, don't forget to release LAAM to MV-22s. Also in this time, SLUAV comes as new threat. I recommend you to shoot it too, as it gives 800 score just with 1 MSL. Worry not, it isn't truly hard. Once it overspeeds you as you fly straight, it would be time to shoot it down. Do the same with all nearby SLUAVs.

When reaching the end of the operation time, consider to go back once again to Return Line, maybe you want to switch the LAAM to 4AAM. But in my case, I keep my LAAM.

Then Mimic Squadron comes again, this is its last flight. Don't be hasty to release two missiles at once. Release them with lock-on in mind, as their jammer works differently from first mission. You shoot one missile at them, the Su-47s will interrupt the lock-on so it will take some time for the system to have another lock-on. If your target is far, do not hesitate to use LAAM. As the dogfight drags, Count comes with brilliant idea to let one of two enemy pilot to chase him in straight line. Disengage from dogfight and shoot the one who is on Strider 2's tail. This time, don't hesitate to release 4 missiles (or more if switch the special weapon) at it. Once one of the Berkuts has been destroyed, continue to destroy the last. While Scream or Rage give different response when one of them is shot down, ignore it. What might interests you is their PSM. It gives good chance to land a missile or two on the fuselage, or even machine gun if you can point the aircraft's nose at them. Finish them by using this advantage.

Aircraft used : F-35C
Special weapon : 8 Target Air-to-Ground Missile (8AGM)
Parts used :

• Variable Cycle Engine
  
• Superior Maneuverability
  
• Queen's Custom
  
• New High-Energy Propellant (MSL)
  
• Multiple Enemy Detection Device (MSL)
  
• Directional Proximity Fuze (Sp. W)
  
• Takeoff Weight Augmentation (Sp. W)

This will be the toughest. There are not only enemies out there, there are also competitors. Our squadron tends to steal our kill so finish all of your enemies as quickly as possible. Well, actually every mission has allied forces that steal our kill. But this time, every kill matters since the enemies aren't plentiful.

Zoom to the west, where SACSs' Rafale M show up. Be like Torres's men by putting your life and Point your aircraft at Rafale in the middle then use GUN once there's only 3000 meter between you and that poor SACS. Don't slow your aircraft too much, or your prey will be going up. Then destroy the rest of them as fast as possible before other pilot(s) shoot one of your prey. The last one will be tricky. To get a kill, either let allied missiles to hit your prey or you can utilize GUN and then release two final MSLs.



First wave of SLUAV come. According to the calculation, Trigger can shoot down up to six SLUAVs, while the rest are shot down by allied aircrafts. So firstly destroy two drones on either right side or left side on the middle. And the sweep to two patrol aircrafts on either on the north or on the south, no need to go to opposite side.

The second wave of SLUAV comes after 70% of sonobuoys are drop. I am willing to make sacrifice of allied patrol aircraft so when SLUAVs zoom for another patrol aircrafts, they fly in straight line. Hence they make themselves vurnerable. This applies to another SACS wave too. Use GUN and MSL when you're on their back.

When the search of Alicorn using MAD is started, don't hesitate to shoot some drones if there's any left (sometimes allied aircrafts finish all of them before the search starts). When searching for Alicorn, go to the center fast and then you can apply brake and start finding by turning right and left. Usually, Alicorn is on opposite side from where you come from.

Jammers pop up after Alicorn is founded. So destroy all of them fast. But keep in mind that one of allied aircraft will destroy one of them so open bigger map to check which one.

After that, zoom directly to near edge of the west. The search area won't be far from it. Do like what you did in first search, search Alicorn but release some missiles to SLUAVs that overspeed you. No need to fear the drone too much. Even simple maneuvre like turning left or right plus brake will make SLUAVs' missiles miss our back. But even so, feel free to use FLARE if needed. Once Alicorn appears, shoot down SLUAVs as many as possible.

Finally, it's time to sink Alicorn. Use 8AGM but make Ballast Tank as your target first. After all 8 missiles of 8AGM are released, shoot Ballast Tank with two MSLs. Make sure you empty your 8AGM by shooting all of Alicorn's weapon but keep your eyes on their Railguns trajectory and when they are hidden. Railguns provide considerable amount of score (1000 each). Each one of them require so many missiles, but destroying it will lessen the threat. So destroy both of them. And if you can, destroy all of Ballast Tanks before Alicorn submerges for third time, considering the fourth time it resurfaces, it releases barrier drones which make shooting Ballast Tanks more difficult and it releases jammer if it takes too long.



When Capt. Torres gives up, shoot the remaining weapons of Alicorn or SLUAVs and SACS. FYI, when Capt. Torres says about disarming Alicorn and talks with North, you can still shoot SACSs and SLUAVs with your GUN. See their trajectories then gun them down for additional score.

Alicorn is about to destroy Oured with its cannon and 15 seconds is given to shoot it. Fly higher and when your aircraft is about to pass Alicorn, double tap the Rail Cannon.

At final phase, restart from checkpoint to refill the 8AGM (plus MSL and repair the hull). 1 and half minute is spent to destroy anything, from Alicorn's weapons to SLUAVs. Make sure you have some 8AGMs (one 8AGM is enough) left since it useful to target Core faster. Keep in mind that 36,000 score is required so make sure you have at least 34,000 score before shooting Core which gives 2,000 additional score. On last 30 seconds (for me, I started attacking Core on last 20 seconds), switch to 8AGM and target the Core, shoot it from the front with all of your missiles.

Finally, take a relief breath as you about to see that humongous Alicorn is sunk and S pops up on debriefing.

There you have it, I hope you who want to complete the mission in elegant way with S-Rank can do it well. And of course, I hope this guide is useful. It rewards nothing, but when it comes to Ace Combat I won't leave every SP mission un-S-ed.