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• 0A-10A Thunderbolt II

Successfully complete tactical mission 1 in Area 2.

• Achievements

Complete certain in-game tasks to get each achievement.

Reward 1 of Scenario Mode
Meet certain conditions in Area 1 of Scenario Mode to earn this achievement.

Reward 2 of Scenario Mode
Meet certain conditions in Area 2 of Scenario Mode to earn this achievement.

Reward 3 of Scenario Mode
Meet certain conditions in Area 3 of Scenario Mode to earn this achievement.

Reward 4 of Scenario Mode
Meet certain conditions in Area 4 of Scenario Mode to earn this achievement.

Reward 5 of Scenario Mode
Meet certain conditions in Area 5 of Scenario Mode to earn this achievement.

Reward 6 of Scenario Mode
Meet certain conditions in Area 6 of Scenario Mode to earn this achievement.

Reward 7 of Scenario Mode
Meet certain conditions in Area 7 of Scenario Mode to earn this achievement.

Reward 8 of Scenario Mode
Meet certain conditions in Area 8 of Scenario Mode to earn this achievement.

Reward 9 of Scenario Mode
Meet certain conditions in Area 9 of Scenario Mode to earn this achievement.

Reward 10 of Scenario Mode
Meet certain conditions in Area 10 of Scenario Mode to earn this achievement.

Reward 11 of Scenario Mode
Meet certain conditions in Area 11 of Scenario Mode to earn this achievement.

Reward 12 of Scenario Mode
Meet certain conditions in Area 12 of Scenario Mode to earn this achievement.

Reward 13 of Scenario Mode
Meet certain conditions in Area 13 of Scenario Mode to earn this achievement.

Reward 14 of Scenario Mode
Meet certain conditions in Area 14 of Scenario Mode to earn this achievement.

Reward 15 of Scenario Mode
Meet certain conditions in Area 15 of Scenario Mode to earn this achievement.

Reward 16 of Scenario Mode
Meet certain conditions in Area 16 of Scenario Mode to earn this achievement.

Reward 17 of Scenario Mode
Meet certain conditions in Area 17 of Scenario Mode to earn this achievement.

• Aerial combat maneuvers

If you are playing under the Expert difficulty setting, the enemy fighters are difficult to take down. High speed maneuvers with the afterburners going can cause serious Gs which can rip the wings off your airplane. Reduce airspeed to about 80% while enabling your airbrake. By doing this, the stress on your fighter is less and turning is faster. Once you have completed about 90% of the turn to get a target on the enemy, take off the airbrake and hit the afterburners.

• Alternate functions

Some planes have alternate functions that can be accessed by pressing D-pad Left. For example, you are able to put the F-22 Raptor into stealth mode by pressing D-pad Left. The F-15 C Eagle has a super search radar mode that is also accessed this way. The F-117 Nighthawk has a night vision mode that is accessed this way. Note: In order for stealth mode to be functioning on the F-22 Raptor, you cannot have the afterburners on. Also, do not make heavy turns and you cannot have your navigation radar on. When stealth mode is engaged, the word "Stealth" appears below the graphic for total missiles remaining on your heads up display. If you are using the true cockpit view, the letters LPI will appear in the middle of the heads up display. If the word "Stealth" is in solid letters, you are in stealth mode. If "Stealth" is blinking, it indicates that stealth mode is engaged, but other planes can see you, because you you have your afterburners or nav radar on.

• Big Boss Mode

Big Boss mode enables you to unlock some special planes. You get to it by going into Challenge Arena, and shooting down planes. Occasionally a Boss plane will appear. Shoot down enough of those and a Big Boss will appear. Shoot down the Big Boss, and land safely, and the next time you go to Challenge mode, the Big Boss option will appear. Go into there, and you will have a 1 vs. 1 dogfight with the Big Boss' plane. Win the battle and you unlock the plane. But only some of the Big Bosses in the Arena show up in Big Boss mode, not all of them. So sometimes you may shoot down a Big Boss, but the Big Boss option may not show up for that plane.

• Chaffing and flares

It is better to wait until an enemy missile has gotten to the most inner circle of your radar. Then, press B button to drop chaffs and flares to ward off the incoming missile. Do not stop pressing B until the missile lock warning goes off.

In addition, fly closer to the ground (below 500 feet) when you have a lot of enemy fighters in the air. The incoming enemy missiles are typically coming down (if you are flying low) and impact upon the ground. Be sure to press B button until the missile lock warning goes off.

• F/A-18E Superhornet

Defeate Saviola.

• F/A-18F "DiamondBacks"

Defeat Alfred.

• F/A-18F SuperHornet

Defeat Saviola in Big Boss mode.

• F-1

Successfully complete the game in Hell mode.

• F-117A

Successfully complete Tactical Mission 1 in Area 4 to unlock the F-117A in Scenario mode.

• F-14B

Complete only mission in Area 1 on your second playthrough of the game.

• F-15

To get Premium Reward 6, Unlock the other planes of your five wingmen. After this get the "Best Guy" or "Predator" rank in multi-player mode. When this is done, go to Challenge mode and select "Arena". Shoot down enough planes so you get the rank "Top Gun". After you get that rank, land and save. Go to Big Boss mode and the 305th Squadron. The F-15 should be available.

• F-15C Eagle

Successfully complete Sub-Mission 5 in Area 4 to unlock the F-15C Eagle in Scenario mode.

• F-15C Eagle in scenario mode

Successfully finish sub-mission 5 in area 4.

• F-15D

Defeat Linda.

• F-15DJ

Successfully complete strategic mission in Area 3 in Hell mode.

• F-15DJ "Agressor"

Defeat Ryoji.

• F-15E

Successfully complete Tactical Mission 1 in Area 6 to unlock the F-15E in Scenario mode.

• F-15J

Successfully complete tactical mission 1 in Area 3.

• F-16 "Thunder Bird"

Successfully complete strategic mission in Area 7 in Hell mode.

• F-16AM

Successfully complete Sub-Mission 6 in Area 5 to unlock the F-16AM in Scenario mode.

• F-18A "Blue Angels"

Successfully complete strategic mission in Area 4 in Hell mode.

• F-18E

Successfully complete sub-mission 7 in Area 3.

• F-2 Blue Impulse

Successfully complete sub-mission 9 in Area 3.

• F-22A

Successfully complete Sub-Mission 10 in Area 7 to unlock the F-22A in Scenario mode. Note: If you choose to play this mission, you will not be able to choose Sub-Mission 7 in Area 7 and unlock the F-35B.

• F-2B

Complete strategic mission in Area 3 during your second playthrough.

• F-2B F.T.SQ

Defeat the F-2B F.T.SQ in Challenge mode.

• F-35B

Successfully complete Sub-Mission 7 in Area 7 to unlock the F-35B in Scenario mode. Note: If you choose to play this mission, you will not be able to choose Sub-Mission 10 in Area 7 and unlock the F-22A.

• Hell mode

Beat scenario mode on Expert.

• Jas39A

Successfully complete Sub-Mission 4 in Area 5 to unlock the Jas39A in Scenario mode.

• Jas39C

Successfully complete sub-mission 4 in Area 5 during your second playthrough.

• Landing on an aircraft carrier

Landing on an aircraft carrier in Expert mode is very close to the real thing. It is difficult because you must deal with the cross winds and the fact that the aircraft carrier is moving away from you. You do have an ALS (assisted landing system). The ALS pops up short after control tower tells you to first lower your hook, then your gear (two cross hairs that aid you in going left/right and pitch up/down). Take the approach slightly to the right of the aircraft carrier. Keep following it in and take the ALS recommendation of when to use your rudder to bear left. Upon final approach (when the tower says "call the ball" -- the red light on the carrier is called a meatball and if you can see it then you have approach), your engine speed should be set at around 40% to 45%. When your landing gear hits the deck, rev your engines to afterburner in case you have to turn around and land again.

• MiG-29A

Successfully complete strategic mission in Area 4 during your second playthrough.

• Mig-29G

Successfully complete sub-mission 10 in Area 4.

• MiG-29S

Successfully complete sub-mission 10 In Area 4 during your second playthrough.

• OA-10A

Successfully complete tactical mission 1 in Area 2 during your second playthrough.

• Su-27

Successfully complete Tactical Mission 2 in Area 5 to unlock the Su-27 in Scenario mode.

• SU-27 "Russian Knights"

Successfully complete strategic mission in Area 5 in Hell mode.

• SU-33

Defeat Michael.

• T/F-18

Successfully complete the training mission in Area 3.

• Taking out enemy ships

In every mission involving the destruction of enemy ships, always take out the fighter escorts first. The ships look like "juicy" targets in the distance, but once enemy fighters get behind you, it is very difficult to shake off their missiles. In addition, on some missions you will run out of missiles designed to take out boats and must have to switch to guns. Take a high angle approach to the ship and wait until you are certain you can hit the ship with your guns (about 1000m). It takes about 200 to 250 bullets to destroy a ship.

• Unlock F/A-18 Hornet

Use in the scenario mode, win sub-mission seven in area two and it will be added to your stock of playable fighters.

• Unlock F-16C

Win sub-mission 4 in area 2.

• Unlock Mig-29G

Win Sub-mission 10 in Area 4.

• Wingman kills

Use the following trick to prevent your useless wingman from stealing your kills, especially in the arena mode. The key is his or her weapons selection. Instead of giving them medium to long range missiles like Sparrows and AMRAMs, outfit them with just short range missiles like Sidewinders. By doing this, the wing-man can help defend you if someone gets on your tail, but will not be able to steal a kill if your missile misses a target or just wounds it. In Arena mode, also outfit the wing-man with an anti-ship missile. There are Bosses that are ships that require several Harpoons to sink. If you run out of missiles, switch the wing-man to ground attack to take out the ship.

• X-35C

Successfully complete two areas under the Hell difficulty setting.