MLRS-1 Hydra

This article is about the Hydra seen in Halo 5: Guardians. For other uses of the word Hydra, see Hydra (disambiguation).

The Multiple Launch Rocket System-1 Hydra Gyroc Launcher (MLRS-1 HGL), commonly known simply as the Hydra, is a rapid-fire guided munitions launcher, manufactured by Chalybs Defense Solutions and used by the United Nations Space Command. It is one of several weapons in the Hydra series.

It uses gyroscopically stabilized, high-explosive micro-missiles capable of locking onto enemy targets similar to the Covenant's Type-52 plasma launcher. The Hydra is capable of killing a fully shielded Spartan-IV with two locked on shots in War Games.

Specifications
The MLRS-1 Hydra Gyroc Launcher is a highly versatile guided missile launcher that can operate in a variety of different environments. The weapon was designed to be effective against both infantry and vehicle targets. The Hydra is designed to be as easy to operate as a conventional rifle, albeit one that fires gyroscopically stabilized High-Explosive Air Bursting (HEAB) micro-missiles from the weapon's six-chamber, revolving cylinder. The Hydra's rockets are capable of homing in on targets, though they require a lock-on before doing so.

Highly effective in both close-quarters combat and medium-range engagements, the Hydra can be used in a direct-fire mode, though it is most deadly when using a real-time VISR connection to lock-on and guide missiles to the target. The Hydra's sophisticated automatic targeting and tracking system allows the user to target not only individual infantry, but even distinct parts of enemy vehicles to effect a clean and efficient kill.

Variants

 * Typhon: The Typhon is an improved variant manufactured by the Office of Naval Intelligence's Watershed Division that features upgraded and improved recoil compensation, warhead damage, and reload speed.
 * Echidna: The Echidna is an advanced variant, also produced by the Watershed Division's engineers, that features experimental, non-nuclear warheads capable of generating an electromagnetic pulse. Unlike the base model or Typhon, the Echidna is capable of both a 2× and 5× zoom and can track down targets as far back as 2040 ft.

Operational history
The result of decades of development in refining micro-missile technology, the Hydra MLRS entered service in the United Nations Space Command in 2556, though the weapon has yet to see widespread usage beyond the Spartan branch as of October 2558. The Hydra had been utilized in a number of combat roles, including close-quarters infantry engagements, urban pacification, and ship boarding maneuvers. Hydras were aboard Argent Moon during Blue Team's mission to recover the research ship in 2558.

Trivia

 * In Episode 6 of The Bulletin, fans were given the opportunity to vote for which weapon they wished to be featured in the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta: the Hydra or the rocket launcher. The Hydra won the vote.
 * In Greek mythology, the Hydra was a large serpent-like water monster that possessed multiple heads.
 * The weapon's two variants, Typhon and Echidna, are named after the Lernaean Hydra's father and mother, respectively.

List of appearances

 * Halo 5: Guardians
 * Halo Wars 2
 * Halo: Legacy of Onyx
 * Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual