Warhawk puts players in the cockpits of 'Hatch' and 'Walker', two pilots part of an international coalition formed to stop the global menace Kreel. Armed with seemingly invincible armies, Kreel has become an existential threat to nations worldwide, and the two airmen serve as the coalition's last best hope.
As the campaign unfolds across contested skies, the source of Kreel's seemingly unstoppable military power is gradually uncovered: a substance called Red Mercury that renders his forces nigh-invulnerable to conventional attack. The story's outcome is not fixed — the game features multiple endings shaped by decisions the player makes during the course of the mission.