Some of this guide is out of date - i.e. the aircraft specifications are different.

I kept this guide available because the general information is still useful.

The following guide is more thorough and not quite as out-of-date
http://steamproxy-script.pipiskins.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=151157836

Once called upon, aircraft takes some time to get to the combat zone, depending on their cruising speed. Once the aircraft is the battlefield, you have absolute control of your unit: ask them to patrol a particular path, fly over and hold a zone, and attack specific targets, at least until they run out of fuel!

Then, they will rally at the air base to refuel and get ready to intervene again. Rinse and repeat, again and again. It sounds simple enough? Wrong!

but first, take a moment to thumbs up this guide.

THIS GUIDE IS NOT FINISHED - I am publishing it early because, well:

• the game is still beta
  
• I would appreciate feedback, opinions & comments
  
• I want my collaborator to upload the videos :)

Only a limited selection of aircraft has been mentioned. I am not sure if I will feature all aircraft, but I certainly intend to comment on a lot more aircraft.

1st - I recommend you read the guide in the link below before you read this guide.

http://steamproxy-script.pipiskins.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=142948079

2nd - why are you using aircraft? Maybe you should be using artillery instead.

Aircraft
+ surgical precision
+ targets hit will probably die
+ very high mobility
+ loitering on the battlefield (patrolling an area)
+ very good range
+ doesn't use supplies on the battlefield
- high cost, must be used sparingly
- vulnerability
- short-lived presence
- rearming & repair time

Artillery
++ not exposed to loss with each salvo
+ high terror factor
+ bigger and better AoE
+ collateral damage
+ good accuracy - it will hit in the right area
+/- comparable cost to mid range aircraft
- poor precision - unlikely to exactly hit units (ignoring collateral damage)
- high demand for vital supplies
- maximum range & minimum range
- very vulnerable if targeted by enemy & firing gives away its position
- poor mobility (slow)


When is aircraft better? When is artillery better? Confused? The guide in the link below has more information.
http://steamproxy-script.pipiskins.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=142297237
For the purpose of this guide, lets just say you choose aircraft.

Evacuations
Evac Bingo
Evac Ordered
Evac Panic
Evac Winchester

most antiaircraft weapons need to be stationary to fire
If you see enemy AA and it is moving, then you could possibly ignore it... or kill it ASAP

...unless the AA unit stops.


vehicle-mounted or shoulder-mounted -
vehicle-mounted missiles are usually bigger and are more effective. Use SEAD aircraft to kill the, and if they are not using radar, then Air-to-Ground missile aircraft.

shoulder-mounted - most aircraft are specialised in the role they perform. If you want to take out AA-infantry, i recommend you use large AOE weapons such as napalm instead of SEAD aircraft.


some antiaircraft cannon vehicles also have antiaircraft missiles (eg. 2K22 Tunguska).
1st: These vehicles will fire all of their missiles first before they start using their cannon.

2nd: These vehicles have Radar on the cannon (SEAD vulnerable), but their missiles will be infrared (SEAD immune). Therefore what you should do is disable the AA cannons until the unit runs out of missiles (minimising SEAD exposure), and only then turn on the AA cannons.

Don't worry my aircraft loving friends, most people are too lazy to do this. ----^


lesser value aircraft offer superior firepower for your points
It is inevitable some aircraft will be shot down, so try to limit point loss by not needlessly buying upgraded aircraft.

Think cheaper is better, unless you need the capability of the more expensive aircraft.


There is no 'counter-measure' to antiaircraft cannons * **
* except by being small and flying really fast to minimise damage

** and using long range missiles: cannons have short range - Air to Ground missile have long range and so can usually safely take them out.

Airspeed - self-explanatory. IMO, important in all aircraft - limiting exposure to AA fire, and reducing response time of your aircraft.


ECM (Electronic Counter Measures)
Electronic warfare is used to degrade detection and targeting capabilities in enemy aircraft and anti-aircraft defense systems (such as radar jammers) .

It seems to have a small effect on the probability that a missile will hit the aircraft (amongst other factors) ~ or that missile will miss and go somewhere else. ECM seems to have just about a similar miss-chance effect as the accuracy of the vehicle firing the AA missile. As you can tell, this is not my preferred method of aircraft survivability.

Don't underestimate ECM, but don't rely on ECM either.


Optics - aka Field of vision. Important, useful or not important depending on the role of your aircraft. As your aircraft approach their targets, you will usually gain some vital (very) temporary vision of the enemy army. So don't forget to watch your aircraft as they strike their targets.

Important - Ground attack aircraft (unless you already have good recon)
useful - Ground attack aircraft with large AOE weapons.
not important - SEAD aircraft and Air superiority aircraft


Size - it seems to affect stealth and enemy accuracy.


Stealth - prevents units from being spotted. Is (or seems to be) of no use once the aircraft:

• has fired its weapons
  
• is directly over the target

ie: The mortal enemy of the F117 Nighthawk is an enemy unit with very good optics, and units directly underneath it.

Situation: dodging AA with manuvuering
" O FFFF, AA ahead!"
YOUTUBE VIDEO HERE

Situation: Dogfighting
YOUTUBE VIDEO HERE

Situation: Strafing enemy lines
YOUTUBE VIDEO HERE

aka Aircraft with Anti AntiAircraft-Missile-Unit Missiles

SEAD missiles target enemy radar weapons
Targets with Radar AA weapons= good.
Targets with non-Radar AA weapons (ie. Infrared) = bad.
Targets with Radar weapons turned off = bad

did you know you don't need vision of your target to kill them?
Send your SEAD aircraft to an area and it will fire its SEAD(ARM) missiles to hunt and kill any enemy units that attempts to target it! :)

Unless your enemy has 25 point shilka (radar cannon) in front of their expensive AA missile battery. :(


Killing unknown lurking AA missile units
YOUTUBE VIDEO HERE


East Germany
SU-24M4: overpriced, decent enough


French
Jaguar A: A 75 point good SEAD aircraft with a wicked chaingun? Yes please!


Soviet
MIG-25BM: good and fairly cheap.


SU-24: overpriced, the MIG-25BM is 50 points cheaper


US
Prowler: good, worth getting the Raven for the extra survivablity,


Raven: expensive, best SEAD for difficult AA-batteries


Wild Weasel: multi role master of none, great value, go Raven if there any significant enemy AA

Interceptor planes are specialized in intercepting enemy aircraft such as bombers, which must be shot down before they reach their objective. They are therefore very fast and carry heavy air-to-air weaponry.

these aircraft are designed to engage enemy fighters in order to take control of an air zone. They are agile and they excel in short range air-to-air combat (dogfights).

Sweden
J 35D Draken: 40 point human-missile anti-helicopter fodder

Ground attack: ground attack planes are designed to carry out surgical strikes against land targets. They carry lighter loads than conventional bombers, but they are much more accurate and much faster in their attacks, allowing them to quickly get rid of specific targets.

Denmark
Starfighter: 80 points to destroy PACT-tank-spam, sure.


Soviet
MIG-21SM: top speed + cheap + one clusterbombed tank formation = exceptional value


West Germany
Alpha Jet: simple cheap human-missile cluster bomb


US
A7E Corsair II: a cheap way to kill LIghtvehicles, infantry, forests, helicopters and enemy morale


Sweden
SK 60B: A 25 point smokebomb human-missile? er ok.


Soviet
MIG-27: pay 5 points less and get the better MIG-27K


MIG-27K: good ground attack, may be worth upgrading to MIG-27M if you are good with aircraft


MIG-27M: expensive, deadly, a major threat unless there is strong air defence, think F117 but not so vulnerable


US
A-10 Thunderbolt: Very Expensive. Eats tank-columns for dinner. Handle with extreme care.


F117 Nighthawk: Expensive, handle with care, deadly, almost unstoppable before it fires its missile, excellant for sniping command units (ty SbrF.Guyver) and AA units without other AA units nearby



US
A-6A Intruder: an infantry & vehicle killing monster


A-6F Intruder: an A-6A with a little extra oompf. Not worth it IMO.

Soviet
MIG-29S: it is worth the upgrade to the MIG-29M


MIG-29M: all round awesome