M370 autocannon

M370 autocannon
Production overview
Manufacturer:	UNSC
Type:	Autocannon
Specifications
Ammunition type:	70mm (2.76 inch) depleted uranium round
Rate of fire:	Fully automatic
Service history
In service:	Human-Covenant War; Post-Covenant War conflicts;

The M370 autocannon,^[2] also known as the "Pelican Gun" or "Nose Gun",^[1] is an anti-personnel/anti-vehicle weapon mounted below the nose of United Nations Space Command dropships, including the D77 Pelican (and its variants) and the D102 Owl.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

Overview[edit]

Design details[edit]

The weapon fires 70mm depleted uranium slugs and is sometimes twin-linked with another such weapon, doubling its firepower.^[7]

Although powerful, it is not very accurate, and troops must rely on its fully-automatic firing to make cover. In space, or other significant distances, the Pelican must rely on its speed and maneuverability for protection.^[1] The weapon seemingly replaced the M340 autocannon that was common prior to 2525.^[8]

Pilots and gunners of D77 Pelicans equipped with M370s are able to use the Integrated Helmet and Display Sight System to allow them track targets with head movements and display weapon information on their heads-up display.^[9]^[10] This allows for very short delays between spotting enemies and firing as the turret can rotate up to wherever the pilot is looking.^[9]

Production notes[edit]

The Pelican's nose gun was originally intended to appear in Halo: Combat Evolved, though was ultimately cut from the game for final release. The weapon can be observed in the Halo E3 2000 trailer build of the game, at which time the nose gun could be fully-retracted into the vehicle. The weapon was later featured in the Halo novels such as The Flood,^[9] and the Sybex Official Strategies & Secrets strategy guide.^[10] In 2023, the chaingun-equipped Pelican was one of the many vehicles restored by the Digsite team for use in mods for Halo games.^[11]^[12]

In Halo: The Flood (including both its original 2003 and 2010 editions), the weapon is referred to as a heavy rotary cannon;^[9] this has since been retconned by all visual depictions of the weapon (both including the original cut Combat Evolved model and the look established in Halo: Reach).