Editing D102 Owl

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Ship class infobox
|name=D102 Insertion Craft
|image=[[File:Enc22 OwlCutout.png|300px]]
|manufacturer=[[Misriah Armory]]{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=150}}
|class=[[Dropship]]
|role=Supply and troop insertion{{Ref/Reuse|LL28}}
|length={{Convert|85|ft|m|sp=us|disp=flip}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|width={{Convert|70|ft|m|sp=us|disp=flip}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|height={{Convert|20|ft|m|sp=us|disp=flip}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|mass=135.5 tons (112 tonnes){{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|power=
|engine=
|slipspace drive=
|navigation=
|hull=
|armament=
*1 retractable [[M370 autocannon]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
*2 [[Argent V missile]] deployment systems (6 missiles){{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
*2 [[Anvil-II air-to-surface missile]] pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|complement=20 passengers{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|crew=1 [[pilot]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|othersystems=
|era=[[Post-Covenant War conflicts]]
|introduced=[[2550]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|affiliation=[[UNSC Navy]]
}}

The '''D102 Insertion Craft''', commonly known as an '''Owl''', is a stealth [[Dropship|insertion craft]] in service with the [[UNSC Navy]] following the [[Human-Covenant War]].{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=LL27|HLL|Chapter=27}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=SOR1|HSoR|Chapter 1}}

==Overview==
===Design details===
The D102 was designed as a possible successor to the long-running [[Pelican]] line of dropships, by the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] and [[NAVSPECWAR]], and was thus built with speed and stealth as major considerations. Despite being similar in operation, the Owl lacks the stealth coatings and countermeasures found on ONI [[subprowler]]s, but instead require far less specialised maintenance and operational training. The result is a craft much more suitable for widespread use across the [[UNSC Armed Forces]] than the {{Class|Chiroptera|subprowler}} or {{Class|Black Cat|subprowler}}.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} Despite this, the Owl is considered to be stealth-capable{{Ref/Reuse|LL28}}, and is covered in a nanoblack biopolymer coating for this purpose, and features a cockpit made of [[Wikipedia:Aluminium oxynitride|aluminium oxynitride]] - a transparent aluminium ceramic that does not bend easily.{{Ref/Novel|Id=SOR2|HSoR|Chapter=2}}

The D102 uses a double-cockpit design, with the co-pilot sat above and behind the [[pilot]], with a bubble canopy covering each crewmember. The cockpits do not have any connection into the rear cargo bay. While transparent like glass, transparent aluminum is designed to withstand impacts from Covenant plasma cannons. One such canopy was strong enough to resist the efforts of a [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartan-II]] wearing [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor (GEN3)|MJOLNIR armor]], though buckled and gave way under the combined efforts of two.{{Ref/Reuse|SOR2}}

The crafts resemble a slightly smaller, lightly armored [[Pelican]] [[dropship]], with the most notable difference being the Owl's cloud-gray finish and downward-curved wings. The Owl uses pivoting thrust nacelles to allow the craft to hover, and has a boarding ramp near its tail.{{Ref/Reuse|LL27}} The Owl's passenger cabin is cramped, with seats for a total of twenty passengers.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} Automatic crash harnesses ensure that passengers are safely secured within the Owl's seats. Aside from the ten inward-facing seats, the cabin contains a weapons locker at the forward bulkhead and enough space between the seats for some single-occupant vehicles. Owls have no [[artificial gravity]], and do not have interior lighting during daytime operations.{{Ref/Novel|Id=LL28|HLL|Chapter=28}}

===Armament===
Although intended for stealth, the Owl is equipped with a few weapons for defensive purposes. They include six internally-stocked [[Argent V missile]]s on two missile launchers, two [[Anvil-II air-to-surface missile]] pods and a single retractable [[M370 autocannon]] mounted in under the craft's chin.{{Ref/Reuse|SOR1}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}

==Identified Owls==
*{{UNSCShip|Silent Claw}} - Owl used during [[Operation: RETRIBUTION]].
*{{UNSCShip|Special Delivery}} - Owl attached to [[prowler]] {{UNSCShip|Bucephalus}}, destroyed during [[Operation: WOLFE]].

==Operational history==
The Owl project was active in the [[Human-Covenant War]], as a possible successor to the ubiquitous Pelican dropship series. However, delays and resource reallocation meant that the Owl was not accessible through standard production channels until [[2550]], with only a handful of units having access to it at this time.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}

Owls were used during the [[Gao conflict|conflict]] on the [[human]] [[Outer Colony]] of [[Gao]]. Admiral [[Tuwa]]'s [[battle group]] attempted to reinforce the [[717th Xeno-Materials Exploitation Battalion]] on the planet with Owls and Pelicans, but the crafts were attacked and either driven off or destroyed by the [[Gao Space Navy]]'s [[fleet]] of [[patrol corvette]]s. An Owl, the {{UNSCShip|Silent Claw}}, was later used to extract [[Blue Team]], [[Veta Lopis]], and [[Intrepid Eye|a Forerunner ancilla]] on the planet just before a [[HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon]] destroyed [[Covert Support Base 4276|a local Forerunner installation]].

Another Owl, the {{UNSCShip|Special Delivery}} was used by Blue Team during [[Operation: WOLFE]]. During insertion, the ship was badly damaged while attempting to avoid a Seraph patrol and had to make a crash landing on the surface of [[Reach]].{{Ref/Reuse|SOR1}}

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Last Light]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Retribution]]''
*''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Divine Wind]]'' {{Mo}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Human aircraft}}