MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor

The MJOLNIR armor system (Pronunciation: (myôl'nir)) is a complex suit of armor designed by Dr. Catherine Halsey of the UNSC Office of Naval Intelligence. The armor has undergone several incarnations during the many years of it's development. The suit is named for the mythical weapon Mjolnir. Mjolnir the hammer of the Aesir, Thor, the Norse god of lightning, thunder, wind, and rain. The origin for the word "Mjolnir" is unknown, though etymological speculation has provided theories for its literal translation. The Icelandic verbs mölva (to crush) and mala (to grind) have been suggested as possible translations. Another theory suggests that Mjolnir might be related to the Russian word молния (molniya) and the Welsh word mellt (both words being translated as "lightning"). This second theory parallels with the idea that Thor, being a god of thunder, therefore might have used lightning as his weapon.

Dr. Halsey's decision to name what most would consider a defensive item after an offensive weapon tells much about her design philosophy for the project.

Mark I Prototype Exoskeleton
The Mark I battle suits were one of the Navy's first expirements with powered exoskeletons. The Mark I battle armors were bulky exoskeletons that improved strength and stamina of the user's muscles. A person in the suit can lift two tons, and run at 32 KPH (19.872 MPH). The armour is nearly impervious to standard light weapons. It could have a 30-millimeter minigun that fired on self-targeting armatures-that had stun rounds for training and live bullets if needed, they could also be equipped with motion sensors and infrared scopes. The suit used a hydraulic system, with hydraulic fluid. The suit consumed enormous energy, so it required a large cable to run between it and a generator, which hindered movement, or the use of inefficient broadcast power, and was thus was never seen in battle, it was however used to carry heavy equipment in docking bays, and dozens of other ones were dumped in Reach's titanium mines. Dr. Halsey's team had to scrap this concept and redesign the battle armor from the ground up for Project: MJOLNIR. The Spartan IIs, unarmed and unarmored, proved themselves superior to the Mark I, in every respect.

Mark II PROTOTYPE
The Mark II battle armor incorporated a much more slimmed-down profile, but still required a direct link to a fusion reactor for power. Although the Mark II prototype has this flaw, it is the strongest type of armor in the entire human arsenal.

Mark III PROTOTYPE
The next prototype, the Mark III, incorporated a power transmission-receiver so that power could be transmitted to it much like the Orbital Defense Platforms in orbit of major UNSC colonies. This design was quickly rejected for two reasons. The main reason being that the armor still had a limited operational range, as the power generator could not be moved easily. The second reason was that if the generator was destroyed somehow, the users would become trapped in worthless, metal shells.

MJOLNIR Mark IV
Although the earlier attempts at developing powered-armor produced designs that were impractical for battlefield deployment, that changed as soon as the directive came under Dr. Halsey's MJOLNIR Project. The MJOLNIR Mark IV was a radical redesign of the suit taking advantage of many technological leaps. This advanced battle suit was the first to fully integrate with the soldier's body. The suit plugs directly into the soldier's nervous system through a standard issue Neural Interface. The suit's many functions (communications, hydro-static gel levels, environmental systems, etc.) respond to commands issued by the soldier's thoughts.

This is also the first design to successfully utilize the reactive metal liquid crystal as a means of enhancing locomotion. It flawlessly enhances the speed and power of the wearer, a sharp contrast to previous versions which required powered motors to allow the soldiers mobility. Because of this advancement, the design more closely resembles an actual suit of armor, as opposed to a powered exoskeleton. On one level the soldier moves the suit and in return the suit moves the soldier. This allowed for an incredibly compact design when compared to the previous incarnations.

The success of this version was also dependent upon the parallel development of the Spartan-II program, which produced soldiers with the physical prowess required to drive the system. Previous attempts to wear the prototype suit by unaugmented soldiers resulted in their deaths or severe injury due to the extreme reactivity of the system.

The MJOLNIR armor contains an integrated computer system which continuously monitors weapons, biological function, motion (through an intelligent motion-sensing radar). It should be noted that the Mark IV did not have energy shields.

The suit is air-tight, hardened against vacuum, and features air-filtration systems as well as a built-in oxygen supply that can last for up to 90 minutes. The suit's helmet also features a standard UNSC mounted flashlight with its own separate power supply. Concealed side compartments in the upper thigh plates allow the Spartan wearer to holster a sidearm.

The armor plates are specifically designed for combat with the Covenant. It resists the Covenant's plasma-based weaponry extremely well; a SPARTAN soldier wearing this armor can survive approximately three times as much damage from plasma weapons than an ordinary human marine could. The armor also provides basic protection from human ballistic projectiles, although only to a slightly higher degree as regular marine combat armor. The suit itself is practically indestructible and is capable of sustaining tremendous damage and still be able to function, but even though the suit will continue to operate, the human inside can still be injured or killed by a penetrating round or by sufficient plasma impacts to the suit's outer shell.

The suit also has a number of other features, including recoil-compensating actuators, hydrostatic gel (to regulate temperature and dampen impact force), and biofoam injectors. However, the biofoam injectors and medical care systems of the Mark IV must be provided with a direct supply of biofoam, medicines and stimulants from a standard marine first aid kit when the user is injured, as the suit will not hold or generate a supply of medicines and biofoam, unlike the Mark VI.

The Mark IV Assault armor was fielded from November 27th, 2525 to August 29th, 2552.

MJOLNIR Mark V
The Mark IV Assault Armor was replaced by the newer Mark V the day prior to the Covenant assault on Reach in 2552. The Mark V was the realization of Dr. Halsey's vision. It has hundreds of minor technical improvements over the Mark IV as well as two major modifications.

The first is that it is powered by a slightly larger fusion pack than the Mark IV. This is due to the fact that the Mark V has an integrated dynamic, self-recharging, sophisticated energy shielding system, built upon captured Covenant technology (similar to those used by Elites, but designed from captured Jackal energy shields hence the tinted amber color) that repels mass objects and energy bursts. While impacts on the shield place a substantial drain on the system's power supply, system energy regenerates quickly once the SPARTAN-II moves away from the barrage. However, adapting the shield to cover the entire body has weakened it's energy field making the Mark V vulnerable to ballistic fire. This is unfortunate, as Flood Combat Forms frequently use UNSC weaponry.

The second advancement is the addition of a weave of memory-processor super-conducting material, the same material as an AI's core. This gives the suit nearly the same capacity as a ship-borne AI system. This, along with an upgrade to the standard issue neural implant, allows an AI to inhabit the suit of armor and the mind of the Spartan wearing it, greatly enhancing the interface between the suit and the wearer as well as the obvious benefits of having the incredible information processing power of an AI, which is intended to assist the Spartan in real-time by monitoring communication channels, computer relays, and friendly combat updates.

The MJOLNIR Mark 5 and 6 are equipped with magnetic pads placed throughout the suit, on the belt, thighs and back. Anti-Tank LOTUS Mines and HAVOK Nukes can be held here, when the Spartans are ordered to destroy a ship or base.

The lethality of this system was demonstrated by SPARTAN-117, also known as "John" or "John-117", when he and the AI Cortana successfully fought their way across a planet-like, artificial ring world called Halo.

SPARTAN-087 is the only Spartan to date to still wear the Mark V armor, though it is highly probable that SPARTAN-104, SPARTAN-058, and SPARTAN-043 are still wearing the Mark V Armor.

It seems that the Marines have slight knowledge of the Mjolnir Mark V, as they can be heard muttering "The Mark 5" to themselves while on the Pillar of Autumn.

MJOLNIR Mark V.5
This is not an official name, but has been used by some fans to describe modified MJOLNIR Mark V armor. Several Spartans upgrade their Mark V suits with Mark VI components over the course of the novel Halo: First Strike. Preferred upgrades were to the helmet design, shield system, leg armors, utility belt and rubber undersuit (Hydrostatic Gel Layer) as well as fusion pack. Most armors, when upgraded, retain a resemblance to a Mark VI armor though not completely. Seeing that time is running short, Mark VI suits were not able to be mass produced resulting in several Spartan's having to upgrade their armor instead of receiving a new Mark VI suit.

However, in Halo: The Graphic Novel a full suit of MJOLNIR Mk.VI was field tested by Spartan-062 (whom retired from active duty to "Start a Family" before the events at Reach). This suit was later sent from its Proving Ground on Earth up to the Orbital MAC (Magnetic Accelerator Cannon) Station, Cairo, for use by Master Chief SPARTAN 117-John.

MJOLNIR Mark VI
The Mark VI of the MJOLNIR battle armor addresses some of the weaknesses of the earlier models. The energy shielding system recharges significantly faster and is notably stronger. The armor plating, while less bulky, is denser, therefore offering as much, if not more, protection than previous models. The suit is more streamlined than the Mark V. This version of the armor can now track the status of two active weapons at the same time.

It also appears from observation of Spartan John-117's performance during the 1st Battle for Earth, that an improved reactive metal liquid crystal layer has been developed for this suit, increasing the mobility of the Spartan even further, although this has yet to be confirmed. However, this claim can be reinforced by such facts as faster melee attacks in Halo 2 Campaign and slightly faster jumping speed. Spartan-117's physical performance appeared to have improved considerably.

Also, the armor can now heal minor to moderate injuries over a course of time, due to an onboard supply of biofoam, which is automatically injected into the wearer's body, filling and sealing wounds, and numbing the pain. This new capability eliminates the need to manually apply a medkit or seek a field medic in order to tend to injuries. The biofoam effectively treats all but the most critical wounds, stabilizing the Spartan and allowing him to perform his duties, even while injured, until such a time as more extensive medical attention can be safely applied.

Spartan-117 was not the only Spartan-II to recieve the Mark VI armor, but due to budget restrictions there werent enough made for all of them. [source: the cover of Ghosts of Onyx]

Armor Components

 * Shields
 * Hydrostatic Gel
 * Reactive Metal Liquid Crystal Layer
 * Pressure Seal

Helmet
One of the most important parts of the MJOLNIR armor units is the MJOLNIR Helmet and Visor with its HUD Display. The helmet also has on the side of the helmet a small recharging flood-light, which is useful in combat situations in poorly lit areas. It is solar powered, recharging it's energy from the sun when possible, or just from the MJOLNIR Combat Suit. The visor is also polarized so that one cannot see the wearer's face.

Marathon Reference
The player in Marathon is speculated to be one of the Mjolnir Mk. IV cyborgs that are referred to in terminals throughout the game.

Trivia

 * It seems like Bungie likes the Viking mythology, as the word Mjolnir (Mjølner in Norwegian or Mjölner in Swedish) is the hammerlike weapon that the mighty thunder god Thor uses to make lightning bolts by throwing it. Bungie has also borrowed the name Valhalla for a multiplayer level in Halo 3.
 * The Mark VI sets up the possibility of yet another suit being made. This is interesting because the next type would logically be a Mark VII, which would coincide with the frequent appearances of the number seven in Bungie Myth.
 * In Halo 3 there's a feature that's been revealed that should let every player create their own individualized MJOLNIR armor. Can anyone say Mark VIII, XI, X, and beyond?

Related Links

 * Elite Personal Energy Shield
 * Master Chief
 * Semi-Powered Infiltration Armor
 * Forerunner Combat Skin