Call of Duty Aircraft Guide: Every Air Asset in Black Ops 7 and Warzone Explained

I’ve spent more hours than I’d like to admit getting shot out of the sky in Warzone — and an equal number farming scorestreak points just to watch a VTOL Warship get countered by one well-timed launcher. Here’s everything I’ve learned about air assets across the franchise, updated for Black Ops 7 and Warzone Season 04 Reloaded.

Key Takeaways

• Black Ops 7 scorestreaks use updated names: VTOL Warship (heavy airship), Hellstorm (guided missile), Watchdog Helo (combat helo), UAV, and Counter-UAV.
• Pilotable helicopters exist in Warzone and large-scale modes — they’re positioning tools, not battle taxis.
• Skirmish mode (BO7’s new 20v20) adds wingsuits and grappling hooks as aerial-movement options.
• Counter-air loadout: lock-on launcher (AAROW 109 or A.R.C. M1) + Cold-Blooded perk + Trophy System.
• The biggest beginner mistake in Warzone: flying low through structures — rotor clips kill you faster than enemy fire.
• Redeploy Balloons are map-dependent; on Verdansk use the Redeploy Drone variant instead.

If grinding through scorestreak thresholds or mastering helicopter controls sounds like a slog right now, Skycoach — an MMO and FPS coaching service running since 2020 with 1.2M+ completed orders and real players handling every session — is worth checking out for CoD progression help.

What Types of Air Assets Are Available in Call of Duty?

Across multiplayer, Warzone, and large-scale modes, CoD air assets fall into four categories:

1. Helicopters — pilotable, multi-role
2. Fixed-wing aircraft / scorestreaks — called in, not directly flown
3. Drones and UAVs — recon and guided munitions
4. Aerial movement tools — parachutes, Redeploy Drones, wingsuits

Each category rewards a different playstyle. Let’s break them down.

Helicopters in Call of Duty: How Do They Work?

Helicopters are the most accessible pilotable vehicles in Warzone and Ground War-style modes. Think of them as positioning tools — not rolling fortresses.

Attack Helicopter (Warzone / Large-Scale Modes)

The attack helicopter carries machine guns and rockets. Prioritize enemy vehicles and equipment over infantry — a rocket into a cluster of players is satisfying, but destroying a rival’s armored truck removes a threat for the whole squad.

Practical tips: — Strafe and reposition constantly; hovering is a death sentence. — Coordinate with teammates on the ground to pre-mark targets before you arrive. — Attack in one decisive pass, then retreat to a safe altitude to reload.

Newbie trap — rotor clips and RC drones: The most common way new pilots die isn’t from launchers — it’s clipping rotor blades on building edges or bridges, which instantly destroys the helicopter. Fly clear of structures. Also watch for enemy RC recon drones steered directly at your hull; they detonate on contact. Pop your flare the moment you hear a lock-on tone, then immediately relocate or bail — once the flare is spent, you’re exposed again.

Transport Helicopter

In my squad’s rotation, the transport helo is almost always a positioning tool: drop teammates onto a rooftop or contested objective, then peel off. Landing is the most dangerous moment — touch down quickly, slightly offset from the objective, so your squad isn’t clustered under fire the second the skids hit the ground.

What Are the Main Air Scorestreaks in Black Ops 7?

Black Ops 7 uses a scorestreak system — air support is earned by accumulating score, not raw kills. Here are the key aerial scorestreaks and their approximate thresholds.

• Scorestreak — Type — Approx. Score — How It Works
• UAV — Recon — ~500 pts — Reveals enemies on the minimap for your team
• Counter-UAV — Recon denial — ~600 pts — Scrambles enemy minimaps
• Watchdog Helo — Combat helicopter — ~950 pts — AI-controlled helo patrols and engages enemies
• Hellstorm — Guided missile — ~850 pts — Player steers a missile onto the target
• VTOL Warship — Heavy airship — ~1,350 pts — Deploys an airship with a cannon; all kills credit to you

UAV — How Does It Help Your Team?

The UAV (≈500 score points) reveals enemy positions on the minimap in real time. Always call it when your team is about to push an objective — the intel advantage is immediate. Stack two UAVs from different players and you get a double UAV, which also reveals enemy direction of travel.

Counter-UAV — When Should You Use It?

The Counter-UAV (≈600 pts) scrambles the enemy minimap, blinding their recon. Deploy it right before a coordinated push so opponents can’t read your approach. It also counters enemy UAVs already in the air.

Watchdog Helo — What Does It Do in BO7?

The Watchdog Helo is Black Ops 7’s combat/recon helicopter scorestreak. It patrols autonomously and engages enemies it detects. Position it over a lane or objective you want to lock down while your squad focuses elsewhere.

Hellstorm — How Do You Use the Guided Missile Streak?

The Hellstorm is BO7’s player-guided air missile (the franchise’s equivalent of the classic Predator Missile or Cold War Cruise Missile). After calling it in, you steer it from above toward your chosen target. Best used against: — Enemy vehicles or equipment clusters — Fortified positions or objective zones — Tight indoor corridors (aim for doorways, not solid roofs — the blast needs a path in)

Avoid wasting it on a single moving infantry target in the open; the Hellstorm shines against static or grouped threats.

VTOL Warship — How Do You Maximize It?

The VTOL Warship (≈1,350 score points) is BO7’s heavy aerial scorestreak — the franchise’s gunship-style asset, armed with a cannon and capable of sustained area suppression. All kills it scores count toward your total.

Tips to get value: — Wait for a confirmed enemy cluster or a choke point before calling it in. — Dense urban environments scatter the damage — use it over open lanes or objectives. — Call it when your team is about to push; the suppression forces enemies into cover and lets your squad advance.

Drones and UAVs: Recon and Guided Munitions

Drones bridge the gap between recon and direct damage. The UAV is covered above; here’s the rest.

Hellstorm (Guided Drone Missile)

Already detailed above — the Hellstorm covers the guided-munitions role that older titles split between the Predator Missile and the FPV Cruise Missile. In BO7, it’s a single, streamlined streak. Treat it like a flying grenade with precision steering.

Aerial Movement in Warzone: Parachutes, Redeploy Drones, and Wingsuits

Parachute

Every match starts with a parachute drop. Open it as late as safely possible to reach the ground faster than opponents who deploy early — speed of landing often determines who gets first-loot advantage.

Redeploy Balloon / Redeploy Drone

Redeploy Balloons let you launch into the air and glide to a new position mid-match — useful for repositioning without burning a vehicle. Important: availability is map-dependent. Verdansk does not have Redeploy Balloons; on that map the mechanic is replaced by the Redeploy Drone. Always check which variant is active on your current map before planning a rotation around it.

Wingsuits and Grappling Hooks (Skirmish Mode)

Black Ops 7’s Skirmish mode is a new 20v20 large-scale format that adds wingsuits and grappling hooks as core aerial-movement tools alongside vehicles. If you’re used to Warzone’s parachute-only movement, Skirmish feels significantly more vertical — mastering the wingsuit’s glide angle and the grapple’s swing arc is worth dedicated practice before jumping into competitive Skirmish lobbies.

How Do You Counter Enemy Aircraft in Black Ops 7 and Warzone?

Every air asset has a counter. Here’s the full toolkit:

• Counter — How It Works
• Lock-on launcher (AAROW 109 / A.R.C. M1) — Primary tool for destroying vehicles and airborne scorestreaks; AAROW 109 is default, A.R.C. M1 unlocks at level 25
• Cold-Blooded (Recon specialty, unlock L17) — Hides you from AI-targeting equipment, player-controlled scorestreaks, and thermal optics
• Ghost (Tier 1 perk) — Keeps you off enemy UAVs while moving, planting/defusing, or controlling scorestreaks
• Trophy System — Destroys incoming projectiles — place it near your position to eat Hellstorm missiles
• Counter-UAV / EMP — Blinds enemy air recon and disrupts electronics
• Spot before it spots you — Pre-identify enemy UAVs and drones before they mark you; destroy them early

Avoid open ground when enemy air is active — but more specifically, use buildings as cover rather than running across open fields. Cold-Blooded removes you from AI targeting entirely, which is the cleanest solution against scorestreaks.

How Does Air Mastery Affect Your CoD Rank?

Effective use of air assets — whether calling in a well-timed VTOL Warship or using a UAV to set up a coordinated push — directly improves your kill/assist ratio and win rate. Both feed into your ranked progression.

Key habits that translate to rank gains: — Use UAV and Counter-UAV proactively, not reactively. — Treat the transport helicopter as a squad tool, not a personal vehicle. — Know your counter-air loadout before queuing ranked — a single launcher can neutralize a VTOL Warship and swing a round. — In Warzone, master the Redeploy Drone (or balloon where available) for mid-circle repositions that opponents won’t anticipate.

FAQ: Call of Duty Aircraft Questions

What is the VTOL Warship in Black Ops 7? The VTOL Warship is BO7’s heavy aerial scorestreak, earned at approximately 1,350 score points. It deploys an armed airship with a cannon that suppresses an area; all kills count toward your score.

What replaced the Predator Missile in Black Ops 7? The Hellstorm is BO7’s player-guided air missile, replacing the classic Predator Missile (MW2 2009) and Cold War Cruise Missile. You steer it from above onto your target.

Can you pilot a helicopter in Black Ops 7 multiplayer? Pilotable helicopters are available in Warzone and large-scale modes (Ground War, Skirmish). Standard multiplayer scorestreaks like the Watchdog Helo are AI-controlled, not player-piloted.

What launcher destroys aircraft in Black Ops 7? The AAROW 109 (default) and A.R.C. M1 (unlock at level 25) are BO7’s lock-on launchers for destroying vehicles and airborne scorestreaks.

Does Cold-Blooded work against scorestreaks in BO7? Yes. Cold-Blooded (Recon specialty, unlock L17) hides you from AI-targeting equipment, player-controlled scorestreaks, and thermal optics. Pair it with Ghost to also stay off enemy UAVs.

Are Redeploy Balloons in Warzone Verdansk? No. Raven confirmed there are no Redeploy Balloons on Verdansk. Use the Redeploy Drone variant instead; balloon availability varies by map.

What is Skirmish mode in Black Ops 7? Skirmish is BO7’s 20v20 large-scale mode featuring wingsuits, grappling hooks, and vehicles — significantly more vertical than standard multiplayer.

How do I avoid getting shot down in a Warzone helicopter? Keep moving, avoid hovering, fly clear of structures (rotor clips destroy you instantly), pop your flare immediately on a lock-on tone, and watch for enemy RC drones steered at your hull.

Sources

• Black Ops 7 scorestreaks full list — allthings.how
• Black Ops 7 scorestreaks overview — PCGamesN
• Black Ops 7 launchers list — Game8
• Cold-Blooded perk in BO7 — Game8
• No Redeploy Balloons on Verdansk — Dexerto
• Redeploy Drone — Call of Duty Wiki
• MQ-27 Dragonfire (FPV Cruise Missile) — Call of Duty Wiki
• Killstreaks overview — Modern Warfare II Wiki
• BO7 Skirmish mode — Screen Rant
• CoD progression coaching — Skycoach