Ace Combat 8 Database
X-40 Nightmare 
A large stealth fighter ordered by the Enso Order Corporation and manufactured by General Resource Limited. It is a tailless sixth-generation fighter that is part of the DOE (Darkness of Enigma) project, an effort to create the ultimate fighter by the ADF series' developers. It was designed for high-altitude air superiority operations, based on the tactics of the UAV-based loyal wingman. It features new Brain-Computer Interface technology that enables pilots to control both the aircraft and UAVs through brainwaves. The wing unit can carry four combat UAVs under the main wings, as well as a burst-fire railgun under the unit, with two additional fuel tanks on top of its main wings. Although the ability to carry multiple UAVs requires an aircraft of large size, it maintains maneuverability through the use of paddle-type 2D thrust-vectoring engines, whose superior thrust enables climbing performance that surpasses that of conventional aircraft. Its nickname is "Nightmare."
Performance
MaxHealth- 130
SpeedMax- 2,850
- 5
GunLoadCount- 2,400
MainWeaponLoadCount- 154
FlareLoadCount- 3
UAVT- 16 (8 paired)
- EMLB
- 18 (9 paired)
QAAM- 18 (10 paired)
Flight model
The raw flight data from the game files (campaign version). Speeds are in km/h. The other numbers use the game's own units. The values keep the game's field names, because what most of them do is still unknown. Under Stability and Defense are the fields that match those in-game bars best. Mobility matches the rotation rates. How the game calculates the bars is unknown.
The game's curve points for this aircraft are out of order (a lower speed follows a higher one); they are drawn as stored.
Speed (km/h)
SpeedMax- 2,850
SpeedBreak- 3,150
- 250
SpeedStall- 200
SpeedMin- 150
GndSpeedTakeoff- 350
Power
AcceleR- 2.7
DeceleR- 3.85
PowerAfterBurnerR- 1.3
MaxSpeedAfterBurnerR- 1.2
SpeedUpperR- 0.8
SpeedDownerR- -0.75
SpeedRollDownerR- 6
AltStallStart / AltStall- 12,000 / 13,000
Stability
PitchUpDownR- 0.7
YawRateStdNrm- 0.54
StdArtificialRoll- 30
RotStallR- 4.5
Defense
MaxHealth- 130
- 5
- 0
StaggerTimeMax- 0
StaggerImpactDamageMax / Min- 0 / 0
Mobility
| Axis | Peak rate | At km/h | Best speed band, km/h (rate ≥ 90% of peak) | AddRotR | DecRotR | InputRotAdd | InputRotDec | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Min | Max | Range | |||||||
| Pitch | 280 | 1,400 | 744 | 1,760 | 1,016 | 2 | 3.55 | 2.5 | 1 |
| Roll | 171.7 | 600 | 355 | 1,379 | 1,024 | 2 | 3.55 | 2.5 | 1 |
| Yaw | 155.4 | 1,000 | 501 | 1,810 | 1,309 | 2.5 | 3.55 | 2.5 | 0.8 |
Post-stall and drift
DriftPostStallManeuverability- Kulbit
DriftPostStallManeuverSpeedEnd- 500
DriftStartInputTime- 0.3
DriftSpeedEnd- 150
DriftStopDiffRadian- 2.5
DriftPitchRate- 1.1
DriftYawRate- 1.3
DriftYawRate_PSM- 1.9
DriftSpeedStartDec- 0
DriftSpeedDecR- 150
DriftSpeedDecMax- 5,000
Curve points SpeedGraph / SpeedRot / RotGravR / DiffNoseVelocityR 0..9
| Speed (km/h) | Pitch rate | Roll rate | Yaw rate | RotGravR pitch | RotGravR yaw | DiffNoseVelocityR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 170 | 122.5 | 124.3 | 59.2 | 35 | 5 | 10 |
| 240 | 205 | 146.5 | 118.4 | 30 | 4 | 10 |
| 600 | 247.5 | 171.7 | 148 | 20 | 2 | 10 |
| 1,000 | 260 | 165.8 | 155.4 | 20 | 2 | 10 |
| 1,400 | 280 | 153.9 | 155.4 | 20 | 2 | 10 |
| 1,700 | 255 | 153.9 | 148 | 20 | 2 | 10 |
| 2,100 | 235 | 135.4 | 118.4 | 20 | 2 | 8 |
| 2,400 | 185 | 146.5 | 81.4 | 20 | 2 | 9 |
| 3,150 | 122.5 | 153.9 | 66.6 | 15 | 1 | 9 |
Special weapons
Part slots: 5 body · 7 arms · 3 misc
How to unlock
- Unlock
- Clear all missions
- Cost
- 1,000,000 MRP
- 2nd-4th purchase
- 125,000 MRP each
- Special weapons 2 / 3
- 100,000 MRP / 100,000 MRP
- Requires
- High-Power Accumulator
- Leads to
- Adaptive Armor Material
Aces flying the X-40
Selene Carmille Tewy
Skins
18 campaign skins. See all X-40 skins →
Performance
In online mode, aircraft level up with COMBAT XP and have different stats at each level. The campaign has no aircraft levels.
MaxHealth- 130
SpeedMax- 2,850
- 5
GunLoadCount- 1,000
MainWeaponLoadCount- 130
FlareLoadCount- 2
- UAVT
- 12 (8 paired)
- EMLB
- 10 (6 paired)
- QAAM
- 26 (20 paired)
Flight model at level
The game's curve points for this aircraft are out of order (a lower speed follows a higher one); they are drawn as stored.
Speed (km/h)
SpeedMax- 2,850
SpeedBreak- 3,150
- 240
SpeedStall- 170
SpeedMin- 150
GndSpeedTakeoff- 350
Power
AcceleR- 2.7
DeceleR- 3.85
PowerAfterBurnerR- 1.3
MaxSpeedAfterBurnerR- 1.2
SpeedUpperR- 0.5
SpeedDownerR- -0.75
SpeedRollDownerR- 3
AltStallStart / AltStall- 12,000 / 13,000
Stability
PitchUpDownR- 0.7
YawRateStdNrm- 0.7
StdArtificialRoll- 40
RotStallR- 4.5
Defense
MaxHealth- 130
- 5
- 0
StaggerTimeMax- 0
StaggerImpactDamageMax / Min- 20 / 5
Mobility
| Axis | Peak rate | At km/h | Best speed band, km/h (rate ≥ 90% of peak) | AddRotR | DecRotR | InputRotAdd | InputRotDec | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Min | Max | Range | |||||||
| Pitch | 272.5 | 1,400 | 458 | 1,618 | 1,160 | 3 | 3.55 | 3 | 1 |
| Roll | 118.3 | 600 | 354 | 1,382 | 1,028 | 3 | 3.55 | 3 | 1 |
| Yaw | 155.4 | 1,000 | 501 | 1,810 | 1,309 | 3.5 | 3.55 | 3 | 0.8 |
Post-stall and drift
DriftPostStallManeuverability- Kulbit
DriftPostStallManeuverSpeedEnd- 500
DriftStartInputTime- 0.3
DriftSpeedEnd- 150
DriftStopDiffRadian- 2.5
DriftPitchRate- 0.8
DriftYawRate- 1
DriftYawRate_PSM- 1.9
DriftSpeedStartDec- 0
DriftSpeedDecR- 150
DriftSpeedDecMax- 5,000
Curve points SpeedGraph / SpeedRot / RotGravR / DiffNoseVelocityR 0..9
| Speed (km/h) | Pitch rate | Roll rate | Yaw rate | RotGravR pitch | RotGravR yaw | DiffNoseVelocityR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 170 | 135 | 85.7 | 59.2 | 35 | 5 | 8 |
| 240 | 222.5 | 101 | 118.4 | 30 | 4 | 8 |
| 600 | 260 | 118.3 | 148 | 20 | 2 | 8 |
| 1,000 | 260 | 114.2 | 155.4 | 20 | 2 | 8 |
| 1,400 | 272.5 | 106.1 | 155.4 | 20 | 2 | 8 |
| 1,700 | 235 | 106.1 | 148 | 20 | 2 | 8 |
| 2,100 | 210 | 93.3 | 118.4 | 20 | 2 | 6 |
| 2,850 | 247.5 | 101 | 81.4 | 20 | 2 | 6 |
| 3,150 | 260 | 106.1 | 66.6 | 15 | 1 | 6 |
Special weapons
- UAVT Laser Turret UAVFrom the start
- EMLB Electromagnetic Launcher (Burst)Limit break 1
- QAAM Quick Maneuver Air-to-Air MissileLimit break 3
The others unlock with limit breaks, in the order listed. One special weapon per sortie until limit break 2, then two types at once (with less ammo for each). Part slots also come from limit breaks (below).
How to get it
- Online store
- Not obtainable
- COST
- 2,200
Limit breaks
Each limit break raises the level cap and adds part slots or special weapons. Costs are for that step; the totals are everything paid from the start. Upgrade Blueprints are specific to the X-40; General Purpose Upgrade Blueprints work on any aircraft.
| Limit break | Level cap | Part slots | Special weapons |  Zoll |  Blueprints |  General Purpose | Total so far |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 (start) | 5 | 1 / 1 / 1 | UAVT | — | — | — | — |
| 1 | 10 | 1 / 2 / 1 | +EMLB | 15,000 | 15 | 10 | 15,000 15 10 |
| 2 | 15 | 2 / 2 / 1 | 2 types at once | 45,000 | 45 | 20 | 60,000 60 30 |
| 3 | 20 | 3 / 3 / 1 | +QAAM | 90,000 | 90 | 30 | 150,000 150 60 |
COMBAT XP per level (to level 20: 15,000)
Aircraft earn COMBAT XP by flying online missions (and from COMBAT XP Memory items). Totals from level 1.
| Level | Total COMBAT XP | From the level before |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | — |
| 2 | 42 | 42 |
| 3 | 166 | 124 |
| 4 | 374 | 208 |
| 5 | 665 | 291 |
| 6 | 1,039 | 374 |
| 7 | 1,496 | 457 |
| 8 | 2,036 | 540 |
| 9 | 2,659 | 623 |
| 10 | 3,366 | 707 |
| 11 | 4,155 | 789 |
| 12 | 5,028 | 873 |
| 13 | 5,983 | 955 |
| 14 | 7,022 | 1,039 |
| 15 | 8,144 | 1,122 |
| 16 | 9,349 | 1,205 |
| 17 | 10,637 | 1,288 |
| 18 | 12,008 | 1,371 |
| 19 | 13,463 | 1,455 |
| 20 | 15,000 | 1,537 |
Abilities
Anti-Air Attack Modification (Multirole)Slightly increases the amount of damage inflicted on airborne targets.
Special Weaponry (Endurance Spec. Alpha)Slightly increases onboard special weaponry ammunition. Significantly decreases aircraft speed.
Aircraft Speed (Top Speed Spec.)Slightly increases aircraft top speed. Slightly decreases onboard ammunition.
High-Altitude Aircraft UpgradeSlightly improves aircraft performance at high altitude.
Special Weaponry (Rapid-Fire Spec.)Slightly shortens special weaponry reload time. Decreases special weaponry damage.
- X-40 (Airspeed Boost)
Slightly increases X-40 overall airspeed.
- Special Weaponry (Endurance Spec. Beta)
Slightly increases onboard special weaponry ammunition. Decreases aircraft turning capability.
QAAM (Long-Range Spec.)Slightly extends QAAM lock-on distance. Increases QAAM reload time.
Ability slots: 1 at level 5, 2 at level 15, 3 at level 20. Abilities unlocked: 1 at level 5, 2 at level 8, 3 at level 11, 4 at level 14, 5 at level 17, 6 at level 20 of 8. The game files don't say which ones unlock first. They're listed in the game's table order. All abilities →
Skins
1 online skins. See all X-40 skins →