Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-26372030-20151206001252/@comment-25467429-20151207015225

The orbital elevator (if that's what it was), and the adapted pods on the F-22 variant's wings do suggest some time in the future ahead of every game except for probably AC3. Oddly enough, the wing pods could also suggest an older generation, since the ability to carry pods on the wings (originally for fuel) were taken away real-world during the transition from the YF-22 to the F-22A. Could be a story of a vet climbing into a mothballed X-plane to join the fight as an explanation of the YF-22 angle, or a future variation like an F-22B of F-22C, or the implication of a wider upgrade/customization option - an F-22 equipped with a form of the MSTM for example.

They also showed the XMAAs drop simultaneously and lock on to that Flanker. It could be an exaggeration of the actual function of the missles, or suggests a new setup for the weapons systems (quad-launched QAAMs).

I personally doubt that was actaully an orbital elevator as such, more likely some form of high-altitude platform - sort of a half-step towards an elevator. A bit nit-picky I know, but a true elevator would prbably be a step too far storywise unless there is a plan for more robust space warfare later on (more than shooting at satelites from a retrofitted shuttle like in AC3) which would probably leapfrog AC3 techwise.

If as many assume this game is a continuation of the Infinity story, then it's probably the girl up in the satelite - Butterfly Master. If it's back in Strangereal proper, then it could be anyone, including a new incarnation of the immortal Kei Nagase/Edge.