Safe Return

This article is about an in-game mission. For the in-universe event, see Operation Blindman's Bluff.

Safe Return
Campaign Mission 13 Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies
Other Names	Spy Plane's Return (偵察機の帰還)
Mission Order
Previous	Stonehenge Offensive
Next	Breaking Arrows
Mission Details
Focus	Air-to-air
Objectives	Score at least 1,300 points
Time Limit	7 minutes
Character	Mobius 1
Focus	Air-to-air / escort
Objectives	Destroy all hostile fighters
Time Limit	15 minutes
Character	Mobius 1

Safe Return is the 13th campaign mission of Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies. The player must assist a retreating spy plane by eliminating radar jamming in its flight path.

Briefing

A returning U2 recon plane with engine trouble is currently passing through Gnome Ravine, due to its inability to climb to higher altitudes. However, airship mounted noise jammers in the area are preventing the use of radar. At this rate, a crash is very likely. Destroy as many jammers in the valley as possible, and get that recon plane safely home. Radar won't work, so you'll need to find the airships visually and destroy them with your machine guns.

Objectives

Initial

The first objective is to destroy at least 13 airship jammers in Gnome Ravine. Radar cannot lock-on to these targets, so the player must use machine guns to destroy them. Once 13 jammers are destroyed, the player can continue to search for additional airships while waiting for time to expire.

Mission Update

Once the score requirement is met, and the time limit is up, four TGTs (two Typhoons and two F-15s) will attack the recon plane. The player must shoot them down and protect the U-2. Once the hostile fighters are destroyed, the mission is complete.

Enemy Lists

Standard Units

Section		Unit	Points	Count	Notes
Initial		JAMMER	100	100
		FRIGATE	100	1
Mission Update		F-15E	60	2
		EF-2000	60	2

Special Units

Main article: Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies/Aces

	Unit	Points	Count	Notes
	F-15E "GUNN"	240	1

S Rank

An S rank on this mission requires earning 2,740 points on Normal difficulty or above (2,340 points on Easy difficulty or below). During the Mission Update, the player will earn 240 points from downing the TGT fighters, leaving 2,500 points that must be earned by shooting down the airship jammers. Each jammer is worth 100 points, which means an S rank requires destroying at least 25 jammers. If the player also shoots down the enemy ace (240 points), only 2,260 more points are necessary, which equates to 23 jammers.

Debriefing

The recon plane brought back data on Megalith. This is the superweapon designed by the Erusians to replace Stonehenge. Analysis by the Intelligence Unit leads to the conclusion that victory hinges on ending this war before Megalith is deployed.

Gallery

• 

  Terrain development map

• 

  Hidden river junk

• 

  Hidden river junk

• 

  Hidden river junk

Trivia

• It is theoretically impossible to destroy all of the jammer airships in Gnome Ravine, given their sheer numbers and widespread distribution.
• There are several hidden vessels in this mission:
  • A frigate is located on a river that flows north-south in the eastern sector of the jamming net. It can be destroyed for 100 points, equivalent to one jammer unit. In the mission debriefing, the destroyed frigate will be listed as a jammer.
  • Small ships are hidden throughout the area. They appear to be based on Chinese or Japanese style junks, perhaps for fishing. One is located immediately behind and below the player's spawn point. They cannot be destroyed.

Enemy units marked as TGT usually must be destroyed to advance the mission. The TGT text is always in red, except if the player changes this in Ace Combat 7.