Project HAYABUSA
From Halopedia, the Halo Wiki
Project: HAYABUSA [1] was a UNSC project similar to Project: MJOLNIR.
[edit] Background
While HAYABUSA had different goals than its rival project, MJOLNIR, both programs resulted in powerful battle armor that boasted energy shields. It is unknown though whether or not the original version had energy shields. The HAYABUSA project was intended to develop self-contained power armor, and the project eventually culminated in the development of the Hayabusa Powered Assault Armor, which was developed by Facility RKD on Earth in the year 2536 and was accepted by the UNSC Ordnance Committee the same year.
The Hayabusa Armor's advanced materials decreased its weighty bulk by one-third, and is aesthetically Japanese in design. The Armor was designed after Ancient Samurai and Ninja designs. It includes spiked shoulder pauldrons (correctly referred to as s'ode). The purpose of the Japanese aesthetics was to instill fear in enemy soldiers while compensating for the armor's lack of defensive strength by angling the pieces to reduce ballistics penetration and providing a sleek, aerodynamic figure.
The Hayabusa Armor's helmet was designed with a defensive and ultraviolet protective visor. It, like on all UNSC helmets, is the weakest point in the helmetpiece itself. The small visor is more difficult to accurately penetrate thus defending the wearer. The small visor also provides for better camouflage.
Although initially developed as its own powered armor system, it seems that the Hayabusa armor has been modified and adapted to be compatible with the next-generation MJOLNIR armor system. This allowed it to be available for use by the SPARTAN-II supersoldiers although its field deployment appeared to be extremely limited.
[edit] Trivia
- The Armor has been nicknamed Ninja armor by many players, which is ironic, as it resembles the armor of the Samurai, not a ninja; although this is probably the case because many players recognize the Ninja Gaiden reference.
- This armor has also been dubbed as the 'noob' armor if the person wearing it is acting as if they're superior to everyone else because they have unlocked the armor.
- Hayabusa is Japanese for "peregrine falcon," and is also the name for an unmanned space mission conducted by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency set to return to Earth in 2010.
- Although HAYABUSA was the counterpart to the MJOLNIR armor, the Hayabusa Halo 3 Action Figures calls it MJOLNIR armor.
- The name Hayabusa is also used as a name for a Hayabusa motorcycle.
- The whole armor is a play on the games series, Ninja Gaiden. Hayabusa being the name of the clan that the main character belongs to, and the head of the helmet looking like the main character's helmet. The reason why Hayabusa armor was included is because of Team Ninja had included a Spartan in Dead or Alive 4, one of their games.
