The F/A-18 Super Hornet is a staple fighter/bomber in the U.S. Navy.

In Strikers 1999, the Super Hornet is a balanced fighter. Its Bomb has a long burn time. Its Supershot attack can destroy many enemies easily even at Level 1. This fighter is quite weak when it is not fully powered up, since its main weapon does not fire rapidly.

The F-117 Nighthawk became famous during Operation Desert Storm over Iraq and Kuwait in 1991.

In Strikers 1999, the Nighthawk is a very powerful fighter. It has the most powerful subweapon of all planes. Its Supershot can destroy almost anything in a matter of seconds, including bosses, even at Level 1! It has three big disadvantages. The Nighthawk is a very slow fighter. Also, Nighthawk is most effective when you attack very close so that the Subweapon can rapid fire. Its main weapon is weak on its own. Finally, its Supershot is next to useless unless you get dangerously close to your desired target, as the Supershot launches only a small distance in front of the Nighthawk.

The F-22 Raptor will be the in the next generation of fighters in the US Air Force when it enters service sometime during the 2000s. It will replace the F-14 Tomcats and the F-15 Eagles currently in use.

In Strikers 1999, the Raptor is a speedy fighter and its laser can cut through multiple enemies. It is a popular choice for the beginner player. Its firepower and Supershot are quite weak, and it tends to smack into slow bullets.

The Harrier jet was designed by the British for the Americans. It is a VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft, requiring no runway to become airborne. This jet is used primarily by the US Navy.

In Strikers 1999, the Harrier jet has rapid firing capabilities. Its attack is quite strong as well. Its supershot is very helpful, as its wingmen seek out and destroy enemies. Its two downsides are that it is quite slow and its bomb attack has a significant delay before deploying.

The Phantom was used extensively by the US Navy, US Marine Corps, and the US Air Force in the Vietnam War.

In Strikers 1999, the Phantom possesses a powerful Subweapon and Supershot. The Roll Napalm can be rapidly fired by going in close to an enemy, resulting in massive damage. Its Supershot is second to the F-117's in power.

It uses the Samurai Sword attack that the Shinden used in the first two Strikers 1945 games. It's also been used in another Psikyo shooter called Sengoku Ace. It is a strange game where you can choose from a Shinden, an FS-X, and a giant bird rider (!). The Samurai Sword has even been parodied in Aero Fighters 3! The Samurai Sword is deadly powerful when you activate it while overlapping an enemy. It instantly kills any enemy you overlap, mid-size or otherwise. It can even instantly kill mid-ranked bosses if you overlap the Samurai Sword on them just right!

Its two big disadvantages are its main guns are very weak, and the Samurai Sword attack clears away only a narrow swath in front of your fighter. It is only good as an offensive weapon rather than a purely defensive weapon. You are invincible for a while after activating the Samurai Sword, but you have no way of knowing how long this invincibility will last (your fighter does not flash or anything).

The X-36 is a real experimental plane. (Of course it will not transform!!) The "X" designation means "experimental." It is supposed to be a new generation of supersonic fighter. It is designed in a joint effort between Boeing and NASA.

This fighter is the best all-around in the game. Its laser weapon, similar to the Flying Pancake's in Strikers 1945 II,  aims at multiple enemies and can pass through multiple enemies. It also is a very quick fighter. The X-36 is a visually appealing fighter. It goes through a series of transformations into a mech when it performs a Supershot. When performing its Bomb attack, the X-36 actually GROWS into a giant mech that absorbs all enemy fire before hurling a ball of plasma to the ground (this effect is parodied in Aero Fighters 3, Robo-Keaton).

To play as the X-36 Warlord, simply select the "?" box and press Up on the joystick. This will only work if the Strikers 1945 III machine is configured with the X-36 unlocked AND this command enabled.