Each flyable aircraft in the game has a small horizontal bar underneath the aircraft name on the aircraft selection box. This is the 'Kill Bar'. In order to get the other variants of certain aircraft that are part of a family, you'll need to fill this all the way up by destroying enemy targets. You must gain a certain amount of points (cumulative) with an aircraft in the family of the plane you want. The amount of points you need to earn will differ with each aircraft. For the stronger and better planes, you will need to earn more points to unlock it's new variant. After filling up the Kill Bar of the desired plane, the next aircraft in the aircraft family will become available for purchase at the 'Buy' screen. Kill Bars can be filled up in both Campaign and Free Mission mode.The aircraft that are the first variants of their families are obtained by completing certain missions in the game, and will become available after completing them.NOTE: Aircraft that have only one variant in the aircraft family (ex. MiG-29A, MiG-1.44) will have their Kill Bars already filled up when you buy them, so you do not have to fill up their Kill Bars at all. The last plane in each family will also have its Kill Bar filled up already.
| Unlockable: | How to unlock: |
| A-10A Thunderbolt II | Complete Mission 7 |
| A-6E Intruder | Complete Mission 4 |
| EA-18G Growler | Earn 90200 points with the F/A-18E |
| EA-6B Prowler | Earn 43200 points with the A-6E |
| EF-2000 Typhoon | Complete Mission 16A |
| F-117A Nighthawk | Complete Mission 15 |
| F-14A Tomcat | Complete Mission 9 |
| F-14B Bomcat | Earn 47450 points with the F-14A |
| F-14D Super Tomcat | Earn 56250 with the F-14B |
| F-15C Eagle | Complete Mission 12A |
| F-15E Strike Eagle | Earn 95450 with the F-15C |
| F-15S/MTD | Earn 95450 with the F-15C |
| F-16 Block60 | Earn 65450 points with the F-16C |
| F-16C Fighting Falcon | Complete Mission 6 |
| F-16XL | Earn 65450 points with the F-16C |
| F-20A Tigershark | Earn 19800 points with the F-5E |
| F-2A | Earn 65450 points with the F-16C |
| F-35C Joint Srike Fighter | Complete Mission 16A |
| F-4E Phantom II | Complete Mission 3 |
| F-4G Wild Weasel | Earn 12800 points with the F-4E |
| F-4X | Earn 47450 points with the F-4G |
| F-5E Tiger II | Available from the start of the game |
| F/A-18C Hornet | Complete Mission 6 |
| F/A-18E Super Hornet | Earn 51800 points with the F/A-18C |
| F/A-22A Raptor | Complete Mission 17 |
| FALKEN | Destroy all FALKEN Hangars and complete the missions in which they appear on Normal or higher difficulty |
| FB-22 Concept | Earn 123200 points with the F/A-22A |
| Hawk T.1A | Complete Mission 19 |
| JAS-39C Gripen | Complete Mission 15 |
| MiG 1.44 | Complete Mission... |
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