The sixth installment in the Ace Combat series explores the Belkan War, a devastating conflict alluded to in Ace Combat 5. In the game's main story mode, the player takes control of a mercenary pilot, callsign "Cipher", taking part in the Belkan War by advancing through aerial combat, escort, assault, and defense missions. The story is told through the eyes of a reporter, 10 years after the conflict, uncovering secrets of the war by interviewing some of the pilots the player shoots down.