FU ACADEMY

Upgrades

Upgrade Method

Buy the kill system first. Missiles on long-range jets. Guns on pure gunfighters.
Finish levels 1–4 on that system before the next.
At 5–8, take the node that matches how that plane fights.
If the highlighted node does not match the job, flip the letter. The job is the rule.
A = top row. B = bottom row. String is levels 5-6-7-8.

Live costs: check the official wiki or in-game screen. Numbers change with patches. Community tools like stormcalc.app can help estimate parts.

Path examples (neutral)

Gunfighter: prioritize cannon damage, spread reduction, or ammo. Watch assist penalties.
Long-range opener: prioritize missile velocity, lock range, or FOV.
Interceptor: speed, acceleration, and the missile that does the killing.
Attacker: guns, armor, or rocket systems first. Missiles second.

Matchmaking & leveling

Hold planes near level 3, 8, 11, or 20. Jumping past those points can match you against much higher-level aircraft. Special ability blueprints start dropping more once you have level 8+ planes. Mods become available later.

Aircraft mods (general)

Flares, armor, turn, blast resistance, and finishing guns are common. Choose based on what kills you most (missiles vs guns). Daredevil-style turn boosts are map-dependent (terrain helps). Disruptive flares help against locks when available.

Role-based upgrade guidance

There is no single best string for every plane. Paths (A = top, B = bottom on levels 5–8) should match how the jet fights. Always verify the exact node in-game.

Gunfighters (F-20, F-5, MiG-19, etc.): Prioritize cannon damage, reduced spread, or ammo. Watch aim-assist penalties. Missiles secondary.
Interceptors (F-14, MiG-31, F-111, J-20): Prioritize missile velocity, lock range, or damage. Engine speed and acceleration next. Stay high.
Light / medium dogfighters: Balance turn rate and energy retention. Fuselage and engine nodes that reduce speed bleed are strong. Guns or short-range missiles depending on the jet.
Attack jets: Guns, armor, or rocket systems first. Missiles second. Durability nodes help more than pure speed.
Heavy fighters: Missile performance or guns depending on loadout. Health and energy nodes help you stay in the fight longer.

Use the official Upgrade Planner or community tools to test specific strings before spending. Numbers change with patches.

Example upgrade strings by aircraft type

A = top node, B = bottom node on levels 5–8. These are common community starting points, not absolute best. Match the string to how you actually fly and verify in-game.

F-20 / pure gunfighters: Cannons often favor damage or reduced spread (commonly A or BAAB-style). Missiles secondary. Engine and fuselage for energy retention.
F-14 / interceptors: Radar missiles prioritize velocity or damage. Engines for speed and acceleration. Avionics for lock range. Stay high.
F-15 / heavy fighters: Missiles or guns depending on loadout. Health and energy nodes help. Blast resistance style durability is useful.
J-10 / medium fighters: Balanced. Often missiles first, then guns or energy. Flexible strings work.
A-10 / attack jets: Guns and armor first. Rockets if equipped. Speed is secondary to durability.
Mirage / delta-wing: Ideal maneuvering style energy retention on fuselage/engine. Guns or short-range missiles.

Use the official Upgrade Planner or community calculators to test specific strings before spending. Exact nodes change with patches.

Example upgrade focus by aircraft group

These are starting points, not locked strings. A = top node, B = bottom node on levels 5–8. Match the nodes to the job.

F-20 / pure gun lights: Cannon damage and reduced spread first. Watch aim-assist penalties. Missiles secondary. Example focus: cannon AAAA-style damage, engine energy retention.
F-14 / interceptors: Radar missile velocity and damage. Engine speed and acceleration. Stay high. Example focus: radar missiles ABBA or similar for velocity, engines for climb.
Mirage / delta-wing lights: Energy retention and turn. Ideal Maneuvering pairs well. Guns or short-range missiles depending on loadout.
F-15 / heavies: Missile performance or guns depending on role. Health and energy nodes help you stay in the fight.
A-10 / attack: Guns and durability first. Rockets or short-range systems second. Speed is secondary.

Exact node names and numbers change with patches. Use the official Upgrade Planner or check the in-game screen before spending.