I'm going to reiterate here again this contains massive amounts of spoilers. Reading further down, you understand that everything being discussed here is spoiler territory and you cannot complain about the information provided. I do use spoiler tags for heavy stuff, but the discussion itself is prone to spoiling things. You've been warned.

Okay. Let's begin.

My initial theory as I first was playing was that none of this was happening; The war itself was a game and a full simulation. Then I started thinking that you're in a proto-electrosphere and this is all just a simulation. I even considered you are simply AI data being run through a computer program.

Here's what I'm fully convinced is happening: You are an AI data set and not real, reliving the battles in a simulation. You are Cope's data given free reign and a much more aggressive authority, allowed to run wild.

Reasons for this: There are glitches within the game's story and the odd view point changes suggest you're being routed through different nodes. Characters say and do odd things that would only make sense if you're an AI.

1. The Nameless Pilot
From the very start, you're saved and never given a name. No one attempts to address you by the real name, mention you have a real name, or even treat you like you're anything other than Cope. Yes, I understand the whole "psyop warfare and propaganda, you don't matter only the lie" at play in the game, however, Tasha calls you Ray almost from the start. She's corrected only ONCE. Baxter starts calling you Ray saying, "It feels right." By the end of it, only Coster is still calling you Rex. Hell, Rex was only Rex's callsign, but it's never used as your callsign..."Wings" is your callsign. This is one of the story glitches.

2. Cope's Constant Presence
Cope is dead, but he's constantly talking to you. He tells you so many time to "remember these numbers" and makes predictions of things which never come true (I'll touch on this more). When Cope is taken out at the beginning of the game he says, "I'm being cut off from all that I ever was." and "Oh...I almost forgot about you..." As the story progresses, this comes across more of him talking to his AI flight recorder.

When Baxter dies and when Kate is dying they both say, "Oh, hey, Cope. So that's where you've been." While this is played as emotional storytelling, it also hints that Cope IS somewhere else.

3. Your Dubious Origins
You're "found" floating with one person at sea having crashed as a helicopter passenger. You're told that you cannot be cleared for flight/combat until you have a full check for "cerebral issues". The doctor says, "Tests show his brain waves are fine. Within normal ranges." (Emphasis added by me).

At first this seems...normal? But as the game goes on, and the glitches and odd perspectives change, this becomes more and more questionable. I'm convinced the "You just regained consciousness?" is them checking your programming is up to snuff and that you're "waking up" as a new AI/Cope's data.

After mission 1 the XO asks Baxter how you did and if you can "fill Cope's shoes". She knows Cope was a good pilot, but otherwise useless in a fight. Odd.

4. Numbers, Predictions, and "Memories"
Cope's ghost constantly tells you to "remember these numbers" and things that are about to happen or will happen that never come true. In a mission Cop says, "Hostiles inbound. Shadow 22's leading 'em." Only...he's NOT leading him and you're given this information before even Tasha notices them. He then says, "I only survived flying for my life. Why is this the thing that comes back to me so easily?"

My interpretation? You're hearing his voice because you're his AI. Your thoughts are being presented to you as "his thoughts". You're reliving the battles he was actually in and the data is changed from the historic context.

He tells you constantly to remember "4, 6, 8, 22, 900 and 11". Why? When these numbers are called, there's usually an event tied to it that is important.

My interpretation? These are neural triggers for the AI program.

Cope tries to remember things but can't. Why? Because it's not important to the AI program data. Things like the flowers, the way a country side looked...things that are more "sensual" tend to have bad narrative recalls and are only revealed later after things are settled. He doesn't even really remember his parents and his upbringing...it wouldn't be important to the AI program.

5. Odd Changing Perspectives and Character Interactions
People, even your own team, keep him at a distance. They never attempt to actually understand him. I get that it's mostly for gameplay, but being prompted to shake hands is kind of a tell as well like it's training the AI on appropriate interactions.

There's a constant reference to "five, but only four planes". This to me signifies you, the AI ("the player") are the fifth in the formation. You never get five planes no matter what.

Too many times you go from a first person perspective from a data piece, like a cellphone, to suddenly snapping into a body. After you beat Moon 11, it's completely dark and you suddenly are in your body, even looking up in surprise to being there. This can be explained by you being an AI and the neural node being routed.

D.D. himself makes odd comments...the entire thing about "Wings isn't real" and it's all "propaganda" culminates in the second to last mission when D.D. himself says, "Finally! Wings is real...and so am I..." What an odd thing to say.

My interpretation? D.D. himself is an A.I. Director and not a real person.

Also, so much of the story is fed to you like news points of history. Those white text on black screen portions come across like, "Here's data set and context of something that's happened in the past."


CONCLUSION:
Did the war happen? Yes, but the game takes place entirely inside of an AI simulation of the past events. Even the ending suggests this. The odd changing perspectives, the dubious origins, and the "glitches" within the story are all indicative of an AI training data. Ace Combat 3 all took place within a simulation and "never happened" as it was a "predictive war", and with comments about how the X04 is the "first plane with a neural link" also further suggests you're training data hooked up to Cope as opposed to a full on AI itself in a real battle.

I do love that they finally bridged the gap into Ace Combat 3, but honestly...where do they take the story from here?