AV-22 Sparrowhawk

The AV-22 Sparrowhawk, formally known as the AV-22 Attack VTOL, but often simply nicknamed the Hawk, is a VTOL attack aircraft in service with the United Nations Space Command.

Design details
The AV-22 Sparrowhawk is a formidable air-to-ground anti-tank aerodyne that is used to hunt tanks and support ground advances.

The Sparrowhawk features a two-seat cockpit with tandem seating for a pilot and gunner, and cyberlink-compatible fly-by-light avionics. Rather than using thrust-vectoring jets like some aircraft of the United Nations Space Command, the AV-22 features an integrated VTOL propulsion system that combines a turbojet with dual-ducted lift fans, which gives it a maximum airspeed of 611 kilometers per hour (380 miles per hour) and impressive maneuverability.

The Sparrowhawk shares a number of design similarities with its fellow aerodyne brethren such as the AV-14 Hornet, AV-19 SkyHawk, AV-30 Kestrel, and AV-49 Wasp, however while classified as an "Attack VTOL", some branches of the UNSC Armed Forces classify the aircraft as a gunship due to its heavy armament.

Armaments
The VTOL's primary weapon is a pair of brutally effective, twin-linked GAU-23/AW/Linkless Feed Autocannons installed on weapon armatures on either side of the fuselage. These autocannons can fire the full range of 20mm aircraft ammunition, though the standard loadout on the Sparrowhawk is either M718 SAPHEI, or PGU-42/B API with a depleted uranium core, and are capable of neutralizing infantry and light vehicles with ease. The secondary weapon of the Sparrowhawk is a nose-mounted M6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Cannon, an upgraded version of the M6 Spartan Laser. The cannon allows gunners to conduct devastatingly effective long-range strikes on heavy vehicles such as tanks with pinpoint accuracy. Components of the Sparrowhawk's cannon were later miniaturized and incorporated into the infantry-portable M6/E Spartan Laser variant.

Like most of the UNSC's vehicle fleet, the aircraft has some degree of modularity. Its wings can be fitted with mounting brackets for missile racks, and the weapon armatures on the fuselage and nose can be fitted with a number of other twin-linked heavy machine guns.

These armaments, combined with the VTOL's impressive speed and maneuverability, allows the Sparrowhawk to engage Covenant Type-26 Banshees on more than equal terms and to pursue fleeing dropships or engage them as they approach; even a pair of Sparrowhawks can destroy a —the bane of the AV-14—with minimal attrition.

Variants

 * AV-22B Sparrowhawk: A variant of AV-22 armed with two short-range A-74 Sylver missile racks. It is also equipped with a different set of twin-linked heavy machine guns, and has a pair of machine guns built into the nose of the aircraft, as opposed to the M6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Cannon.

Operational history
The Sparrowhawk was employed as early as 2526, and later saw action on Harvest during the final months of the Harvest campaign in early 2531. Weeks later, several Sparrowhawks attached to defended their parent vessel from a Covenant  during the Battle of Trove, proving the VTOL's effectiveness as both a ground-support platform and as an impromptu atmospheric fighter. The Sparrowhawk met with great success in the war against the Covenant, serving as a gunship escort for troop transports, providing aerial security, and operating in hunter-killer squadrons that harassed Covenant landing zones and troop columns. Combat losses were always high, though pilots accumulated enviable kill ratios.

Although the Sparrowhawk was widely produced during the first decade of the war, problems with its ducted fan propulsion system and the high costs of repair and replacement resulted in limited production after 2550. Nonetheless, the Sparrowhawk continued active service and saw combat during the Battle for Earth in 2552, the Battle of Draetheus V in 2554, the Invasion of Earth in 2555, and the Battle of Installation 03 in 2557. On March 11, 2558 several AV-22 Sparrowhawks belonging to the Spirit of Fire, alongside multiple AC-220 Vultures, attacked the when the Pilgrims' Pride was pulled into the Infinity's docking bay. Several Sparrowhawks were used by the Surakan Militia against Hekabe's forces in the Carrow Conflict later that year.

Prior to the Sparrowhawk's introduction, the AV-14 Hornet filled a similar anti-tank and ground support role, and as such is considered the Hawk's predecessor.

Gameplay
In Halo Wars ' skirmish and multiplayer modes, the Hawk is the unique unit of Professor Ellen Anders. It is available as the final upgrade for the AV-14 Hornet at a cost of 900 supplies and a tech level of 3. It can be built at the airpad for a cost of 250 resources and 2 population with a tech level of 2. The game's first title update increased the Hawk's upgrade price to 1350 supplies in order to prevent spamming of the unit.

Trivia

 * A sparrowhawk is a species of small hawk, in keeping with the UNSC's tradition of naming most atmospheric aircraft after birds.
 * The Sparrowhawk looks similar to the Kestrel, a UNSC aircraft that was cut from Halo 2. The Hawk also bears a noticeable resemblance to the Orca gunship series from the Command and Conquer franchise, primarily the A-15 model.

List of appearances

 * Halo Wars
 * Halo: Spartan Assault
 * Halo: Escalation
 * Halo: Spartan Strike
 * Halo: Hunters in the Dark
 * Halo 5: Guardians
 * Halo Mythos
 * Halo: Envoy
 * Halo: Oblivion
 * Halo: Point of Light
 * Halo: Divine Wind