The X-02 Wyvern,[a] also known as the X-02A, is a fifth-generation fighter aircraft developed by the Erusean Air and Space Administration. Its striking design is most notable for its variable geometry wings, which fold in at high speeds.
The X-02 is an iconic fictional aircraft in the Ace Combat series, debuting in Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies and making various appearances since. Its last appearance in Ace Combat Infinity marked the X-02's first console appearance in nearly a decade.
The X-02 Wyvern incorporates an uncommon design with variable geometry technology and a forward-swept wing configuration. As the aircraft gains speed, the forward-swept wings and vertical stabilizers fold inward and downward respectively to reduce air drag, and retract to their neutral position once it slows down. This unconventional design grants it an extreme degree of mobility and the folded wings add a degree of stealth.[2] However, this comes at a cost to the aircraft's armor (which is scaled back to provide such mobility) as well as its fuel capacity.[3] The aircraft is carrier-capable, though is equally capable of taking off from standard airfields.
The X-02 incorporates a weapons bay between the intakes on the underside of the aircraft. This weapons bay is capable of carrying all kinds of special weapons, including air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, and various bomblet dispensers. The aircraft's standard missiles are launched from downwards retractable holders located on the undersides of each intake. The X-02 is powered by two tri-dimensional thrust vectoring ERG-1000 engines.
The aircraft's specifications are as follows:[2][4]
In the 1980s, the Erusean Navy began to draw up concept plans for the development of a new combat aircraft. Sometime afterward, the Federal Erusea Air Force requested a new fighter aircraft. In response, Erusea's military decided to modify the Navy's new concept aircraft to also perform fighter duties for the Air Force.[2]
Preliminary blueprints of the new aircraft, known as the "X-02A", were completed on January 22, 1987.[5][6] Erusea's weapons arsenal primarily came from its neighboring countries, so their designs had an indirect influence on the X-02A's design.[2][7]
Over the next 10 years, the X-02A's development had ground to a halt for reasons unknown. After the existence of the Ulysses 1994XF04 asteroid was announced, Erusea—along with most other Usean countries—was solely focused on developing Stonehenge. Erusea would not return to the X-02A project until June 1998, after Stonehenge's completion. At that point, the EASA began development of the aircraft, now known as the X-02 Wyvern.[5]
Development continued until the start of the Continental War in 2003. Erusea planned to use the X-02s for the defending squadron of the captured Stonehenge network, but opposition groups questioned its large development costs when compared to proven conventional aircraft. Development was halted as the controversies went on.[2][4]
The X-02's development was hastily restarted after Stonehenge fell in April 2005, but it was hampered by a lack of funding and supplies due to the war.[2][4] Due to the X-02's unique variable geometry, the Independent State Allied Forces believed that Erusea was developing two different aircraft that were competing with each other.[2][7]
The X-02 was nearly set to enter production by September 2005, but ISAF captured Erusea's capital and ended the war, preventing the aircraft from being used to defend the capital.[2][4] The country continued development regardless, and within one year, at least four and at most six X-02 units were successfully completed. These units were equipped with an experimental UCAV configuration.[8]
In September 2006, the UCAV X-02s were stolen by Free Erusea during their continental uprising. They were used as a last resort during Mobius 1's attack on Free Erusea's base, a White Valley arms factory, but they were destroyed by the ace pilot.[8]
Under unknown circumstances, the Federation of Central Usea recovered the X-02's design blueprints. They produced a small number of test units of the aircraft, which caught the attention of international corporations.[9][10] One such company was Gründer Industries, who also produced at least one X-02 using their cost-cutting development techniques. This X-02 was sent to the Yuktobanian Air Force,[11] but it was later shot down over Osean territory. The pilot managed to eject.[12] The aircraft's remains were handed to the mechanics at Sand Island Air Force Base.[13]
"An air superiority/multirole fighter developed by a certain country. It features special variable wings which adjust according to speed. The forward swept wing configuration allows it to demonstrate unparalleled combat abilities while its sweptback wing configuration gives it access to supercruise and stealth abilities. The extreme visual differences between the wing configurations has often made people believe that there are 2 different aircraft. Its nickname is "Wyvern"."
"The pinnacle of Erusian[sic] military aviation technology, the "Wyvern" combines stealth with extraordinary agility, made possible by its unique variable geometry wings."
The X-02 can be unlocked after completing Campaign mode twice with different Ace Styles. However, if the memory card in slot 1 has an Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies save file, the X-02 will be unlocked after completing Glacial Skies for the first time. Costs 215,000.
Knight: Ghost white with blue frontal stabilizer and wing trim
Special:ISAF (Without ISAF symbols) Grey digital camouflage with blue frontal edges and white stabilizer tips, unlocked by completing the game on Hard Difficulty
"The pinnacle of Erusian[sic] military aviation technology, the "Wyvern" combines stealth with extraordinary agility, made possible by its unique variable geometry wings."
To unlock the X-02, the player must purchase at least one of every other aircraft in the game (except the ADF-01 FALKEN, which has no effect on the X-02) and then play any mission one time. Costs 39,700 per plane.
SP: Chartreuse yellow with black horizontal stripes in a desert/tiger camo pattern, based on the F-4E Phantom II's special color in Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies; unlocked by completing all 32 missions on Hard difficulty regardless of clear rank[17]
The SP skin is subject to a bug where it can fail to unlock if the conditions for the Falken's SP color have already been fulfilled beforehand (completing every mission on Expert difficulty).[18] It can also become unobtainable if the unlock requirement is triggered before owning at least one copy of the X-02. To avoid any glitches, players should purchase the X-02 before completing all missions on both Hard and Expert difficulties, and also avoid fully completing Expert before Hard. It has also been theorized that usage of the mission restart feature may induce the bug in combination with the aforementioned factors, but this is unconfirmed. If the SP color is glitched, there is no way to fix it on that playthrough, and a completely new playthrough must be started to unlock the color.
Isshin Yabuki designed the X-02 Wyvern using elements of the Su-37 Terminator and YF-23 Black Widow II as inspiration. In a 2004 interview with Softbank Games, he explained that the variable wing geometry was a "surprise design element" and not an inspiration from the Sentō Yōsei Yukikaze series (which he described as "a particular novel").[20]
The X-02 in Ace Combat 04 is depicted as carrier-capable, though subsequent depictions show it as taking off from airfields with no carrier capabilities.
During the Operation Future Prospect trailer for Ace Combat Infinity, an image of the X-02 is seen in a similar paint scheme to the ADFX-01 -Block1-.[21] This livery was never made available for the X-02 before Infinity shut down in March 2018.
Although the X-02s deployed to engage Mobius 1 during Operation Katina had a UCAV configuration, radio chatter can still be heard from enemy pilots.
In Ace Combat 04, if you do not have S rank on every mission on hard difficulty, you can still earn the black color scheme if you S rank every mission on expert. You unlock the EASA color scheme along with the black one.
↑PROJECT_ACES . Twitter. Published August 19, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
Variable geometry wings are wings that pivot on an axis to sweep backwards or forwards and then return to their original position during flight. They are often used to change the shape of the plane, with the outwards position allowing for better low-speed handling and the swept position allowing higher speeds.
Thrust vectoring is the ability to change the direction of thrust emitted from an engine. Aircraft with thrust vector control can perform enhanced maneuvers not available to aircraft without it.