Airborne Ranger is an action/simulation game by Microprose where the player takes on the role of an U.S. Army airborne ranger, dropping behind enemy lines to perform dangerous missions. The gameplay consists of three phases: reading mission briefings, flying over the mission map in a V-22 Osprey plane and parachuting out to complete the actual mission.
The game features 12 different missions with various objectives, set in arctic, desert or temperate environments. Missions require the player to navigate through trenches, minefields and enemy bunkers, often using stealthy approaches to avoid detection.
Airborne Ranger can be played in two modes: practice mode, where a single mission is completed with limited gameplay, and veteran mode, which involves playing a series of missions or an entire campaign to earn medals and promotions. The game also features several difficulty levels for each mission.