Mark I Prototype Exoskeleton
The Mark I battle suits were one of the Navy's first experiments
with powered exoskeletons. The Mark I battle armors were bulky
exoskeletons that improved strength and stamina of the user's muscles.
A person in the suit can lift two tons (4,409 pounds) and run at 32 KPH
(19.88 MPH). The armor is nearly impervious to standard light weapons.
It could mount a 30-millimeter mini gun that fired on self-targeting
armatures that had stun rounds for training and live bullets for actual
combat. They could also be equipped with motion sensors and infrared
scopes. The suit used a hydraulic system with hydraulic fluid which
moved the suit. The suit consumed enormous energy, so it required a
large cable to run between it and a fusion generator, which hindered
movement, or the use of inefficient broadcast power, and was thus never
seen in battle. It was, however, used to carry heavy equipment in
docking bays, and dozens of others were dumped in Reach's titanium
mines. Dr. Halsey's team had to scrap this concept and redesign the
battle armor from the ground up for Project: MJOLNIR.
Mark II PROTOTYPE
The Mark II battle armor incorporated a much more slimmed-down
profile, but still required a direct link to a fusion reactor for
power. Although the Mark II prototype has this flaw, it is the
strongest type of armor in the entire human arsenal.
Mark III PROTOTYPE
The next prototype, the Mark III, incorporated a power
transmission-receiver so that power could be transmitted to it much
like the Orbital Defense Platforms in orbit of major UNSC colonies.
This design was quickly rejected for two reasons, the main reason being
that the armor still had a limited operational range, as the power
generator could not be moved easily. The second reason was that if the
generator was destroyed somehow, the users would become trapped in
worthless, metal shells.
MJOLNIR Mark IV
Although the earlier attempts at developing powered-armor produced
designs that were impractical for battlefield deployment, that changed
as soon as the directive came under Dr. Halsey's MJOLNIR Project. The
MJOLNIR Mark IV was a radical redesign of the suit taking advantage of
many technological leaps. This advanced battle suit was the first to
fully integrate with the user's body. The suit plugs directly into the
user's nervous system through a standard issue Neural Interface.
The suit's many functions (communications, hydro-static gel levels,
environmental systems, etc.) respond to commands issued by the user's
thoughts.
This is also the first design to successfully utilize the
reactive metal liquid crystal as a means of enhancing locomotion. It
flawlessly enhances the speed and power of the wearer, a sharp contrast
to previous versions which required powered motors to allow the user's
mobility. Because of this advancement, the design more closely
resembles an actual suit of armor, as opposed to a powered exoskeleton.
On one level, the user moves the suit, and in return, the suit moves
the user. This allowed for an incredibly compact design when compared
to the previous incarnations.
The success of this version was also dependent upon the parallel development of the Spartan-II
program, which produced troops with the physical prowess required to
drive the system. Previous attempts to wear the prototype suit by
non-augmented troops resulted in their deaths or severe injury due to
the extreme reactivity of the system.
The MJOLNIR armor contains an integrated computer system which
continuously monitors weapons, biological function, and motion (through
an intelligent motion-sensing radar). It should be noted that the Mark
IV did not have energy shields.
The suit is air-tight, hardened against vacuum, and features
air-filtration systems as well as a built-in rebreather that can last
for up to 90 minutes. The suit's helmet also features a standard UNSC
mounted flashlight with its own separate power supply. Concealed side
compartments in the upper thigh plates allow the Spartan wearer to
holster a sidearm.
The armor plates are specifically designed for combat with the Covenant. It resists the Covenant's
plasma-based weaponry extremely well; a SPARTAN troop wearing this
armor can survive approximately three times as much damage from plasma
weapons than even a human ODST could in full ballistic re-entry armor.
The armor also provides almost complete immunity from ballistic
firearms, though for gameplay reasons MJOLNIR armor is prone to
ballistic damage in the games (which are considered 'more' canon).
The suit also has a number of other features, including
recoil-compensating actuators, hydrostatic gel (to regulate temperature
and dampen impact force), and biofoam injectors. However, the biofoam
injectors and medical care systems of the Mark IV must be provided with
a direct supply of biofoam, medicines, and stimulants from a standard
Marine first aid kit when the user is injured, as the suit will not
hold or generate a supply of medicines and biofoam, unlike the Mark VI.
The Mark IV Assault armor was fielded from November 27th, 2525 to August 29th, 2552.
MJOLNIR Mark V
The Mark IV Assault Armor was replaced by the newer Mark V the day prior to the Covenant assault on Reach in 2552,
though it was first produced in 2542. The Mark V was the realization of
Dr. Halsey's vision. It has hundreds of minor technical improvements
over the Mark IV as well as two major modifications.
The first is that it is powered by a slightly larger fusion
pack than the Mark IV. This is due to the fact that the Mark V has an
integrated dynamic, self-recharging, sophisticated energy shielding system, built upon captured Covenant technology (similar to those used by Elites, but designed from captured Jackal energy shields)
that repels mass objects and energy bursts. While impacts on the shield
place a substantial drain on the system's power supply, system energy
regenerates quickly once the SPARTAN-II moves away from the barrage.
However, the process of adapting the shield to cover the entire body
has weakened the energy field, making the Mark V's shield system
vulnerable to ballistic fire, unlike Jackal shields, which are near-impervious to ballistic weaponry. This is unfortunate, as Flood Combat Forms
frequently use UNSC weaponry. The armor is made up of layers of dense
material and the outside is coated with an energy-absorbing coating.
The second advancement is the addition of a weave of
memory-processor super-conducting material, the same material as an
AI's core. This gives the suit nearly the same capacity as a ship-borne
AI system. This, along with an upgrade to the standard-issue neural
implant, allows an AI to inhabit the suit of armor and the mind of the
Spartan wearing it, greatly enhancing the interface between the suit
and the wearer as well as the obvious benefits of having the incredible
information processing power of an AI, which is intended to assist the
Spartan in real-time by monitoring communication channels, computer
relays, and friendly combat updates.
The MJOLNIR Mark V and VI are equipped with magnetic pads
placed throughout the suit, on the belt, thighs and back. LOTUS
Anti-Tank Mines and HAVOK Nukes can be held here when the Spartans are
ordered to destroy a ship or base.
The lethality of this system was demonstrated by Spartan 117, when he and the AI Cortana successfully fought their way across a planet-like, artificial ring-world called Halo.
The helmet is featured as one of the many multiplayer Armor Permutations in Halo 3
MJOLNIR Mark VI
"Well, I guess it was all obsolete anyway. Your new suit's a Mark VI, just came up from Songnam this morning. " --Master Guns
The Mark VI version of the MJOLNIR battle armor addresses some
of the weaknesses of the earlier models. The energy shielding system
recharges significantly faster and is notably stronger. The armor
plating, while less bulky, is denser, therefore offering as much, if
not more, protection than previous models. The suit is more streamlined
than the Mark V, eliminating a number of grapple points that an enemy
could use in a close-quarters combat. This version of the armor can now
track the status of two active weapons at the same time, and also
includes a visual magnification system, allowing the SPARTAN to see
distant objects with ease.
It also appears from observation of Spartan John-117's
performance during the 1st Battle for Earth that an improved reactive
metal liquid crystal layer has been developed for this suit, increasing
the mobility of the Spartan even further, although this has yet to be
confirmed. However, this claim can be reinforced by such facts as
faster melee attacks in Halo 2
Campaign, slightly faster jumping speed,and jump height. Spartan-117's
physical performance appeared to have improved considerably.
Also, the armor can now heal minor to moderate injuries over a
course of time, due to an onboard supply of biofoam, which is
automatically injected into the wearer's body, filling and sealing
wounds, and numbing the pain. This new capability eliminates the need
to manually apply a medkit or seek a field medic in order to tend to
injuries. The biofoam effectively treats all but the most critical
wounds, stabilizing the Spartan and allowing him to perform his duties,
even while injured, until such a time as more extensive medical
attention can be safely applied. It is also likely that the suit
automatically increases the pressure level of its hydrostatic gel as
the wearer is falling, explaining the lack of fall damage in the second
game. According to the Halo 3
intro cinematic, the Mark VI also includes a "lockdown" mode, where the
suit retains a rigid form upon sustaining heavy trauma, most likely to
avoid further injury. This explains the lack of a rag-doll animation
when the player is flying through the air after being hit by a vehicle.
However, other NPCs also have this animation, it usually occurs when
being melee'd or getting caught in an explosion.
Spartan-117 is the only confirmed Spartan-II to receive the full Mark VI armor.
The MJOLNIR is an adaptable suit of armor, with many variations
and modifications possible to it, optimizing it for certain functions.
John-117's
armor alters slightly graphically in between Halo 2 and Halo 3. Whether
these changes will be explained, or whether they are canon to the Halo
universe in unknown.
(Soldato to the Corleone name)
Relevance, my fan-fic, check it out:
Relevance: by Omega 505