ORION armor
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
 |
This article is no longer up to date and needs to be updated with new information from Halo: London Calling and Halo: Campaign Evolved. You can help by updating this article. |
| Orion | |
|---|---|
IIC
 MELAENO
| |
| Production overview | |
|
Manufacturer(s): |
|
|
Type: |
|
| Technical specifications | |
|
Feature(s): |
Shoulder-mounted "Shoulder Angel" micro-missile launcher |
The ORION Exoframe Load Carrier, often simplified to simply the "ORION armor," was a powered exoskeleton design developed by Project: MELAENO, as a sister project intended for use in the ORION program but mostly remained as a concept.[2][3] The design was eventually realised on the Mirage IIC platform as the ORION IIC prototype exoframe variant.[4]
MELAENO overview[edit]
Design details[edit]
The Orion armor encompasses a full-body armor suite, with a helmet notably reminiscent of select Mark IV and Mark V helmets of which it would serve as the grandfather of. The chest armor is equipped with a prototype fitting for a "Shoulder Angel" micro-missile/decoy launcher.[3]
Development history[edit]
ORION armor was created as a part of the Colonial Military Authority's Project: MELAENO—a project inspired by the Materials Group's Project: HRUNTING series of powered exoskeletons. Ultimately, only a few components of the armor underwent field testing before the project's cancellation.[2]
The Orion armor's forearms were field-tested by ORION operatives in Operation: KALEIDOSCOPE, during the Insurrection. Testing of the greaves was conducted by ORION candidate 029 on Mars,[3] with the suit's hardware development studies later going on to provide useful data for the MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor project.[2] Classified MELAENO project files were dug up by Catherine Halsey in 2515 and the useful parts noted,[2] with the suit's design ultimately going on to inform the MJOLNIR team on ensuring high range of motion and high levels of protection.[3]
The Orion exoframe was later used by the Watershed Division as a useful stepping stone in the development of the Semi-Powered Infiltration armor used in the SPARTAN-III program. As of 2559, many of MELAENO's successes and failures remain classified.[2]
Usage[edit]
What little of the Orion armor that was actually produced was employed by ORION personnel during Operation: KALEIDOSCOPE, circa 2506 to 2507.[3] However, the armor and its component parts would continue to see limited use by former ORION operatives for decades following the program's deactivation.[5][6] Holden Agryna was one such operative who received components of the armor, keeping his Shoulder Angel launcher long after the program's end.[5] A set of Orion armor—minus the helmet—was utilized by Avery Johnson during Operation: METEORITE in 2551.[7][8][9]
During the Battle for Earth in 2552, former ORION operative Sergeant Major Nolan Byrne used a suit of Orion armor, which was observed by Laurette Agryna to be older and bulkier than the Mark VII Mjolnir armor worn by the Spartans alongside him.[5]
ORION IIC overview[edit]
Design details[edit]
The ORION IIC prototype exoframe is primary designed around the MIRAGE IIC platform,[1] with parts tied to TAC attachments,[10] SAP attachments,[11] and UA attachments.[12]
The IIC is considered a realisation of original goals of the ORION program: the ultimate human weapon system, merging hardware, software, and wetware.[1] The chestplate is derived from a separate related project AETHR, and features lightweight BPC plating and a newer design for the Shoulder Angel missile launcher originally intended for the first-generation ORION suite.[10] The set also includes a WC2 Model 11, a wrist-wearable auxiliary computer module.[13] Overall, despite the improvements the set is still considered outmoded by MJOLNIR Po