S-14 Baselard

The S-14 Space Striker, commonly known as the Baselard, is an assault space fighter utilized by the United Nations Space Command.

Design details
S-14 Baselards are small fighter craft, crewed by two individuals, though they may also be remotely piloted. They are relatively wedge-shaped and have a tail and two-meter wide thrust nozzle pointing aft, the site of a larger fusion ramjet engine. They are capable of both atmospheric and exoatmospheric flight, allowing them a great deal of versatility in use.

When not in use, Baselards rest on retractable struts and may be carried by a.

Armaments
A Baselard is armed with two M42 Archer missiles and a pair of M2056 30mm rotary cannons which are effective at great distances. On at least one occasion, the Archer missiles were replaced by pods full of chain-linked debris in order to camouflage extra-vehicular activity.

Baselards, alongside the F-99 Wombat UCAV, are compatible with the wide array of targeting and surveillance features employed by the AKIS helmet developed for Spartan usage. The Mariner helmet is additionally optimized for Baselard fighter pilot systems, as well as those of the Sabre and Nandao.

Operational history
The Baselard was one of the most prolific UNSC fighters in the 25th century, and was introduced decades prior to the onset of the Insurrection in the 2490s. At this time, the Baselard was nearly unmatched against all colonial aerospace superiority measures - but ultimately found itself put to its test against Covenant strikecraft in the Human-Covenant War.

At least twenty-four S-14 Baselards were deployed from the on March 26, 2526, during an action against the Covenant over the recently-glassed colony of Etalan. Four of the fighters were crewed by the Spartan-IIs of Gold and Green Teams. Baselards continued to see service throughout the war up until its end, with at least a dozen Baselards taking part in the defense of Concord in 2551. During the battle, the craft were used to bait Covenant Banshees and aircraft into the range of ground-based M9 Wolverine anti-air fire - albeit at the cost of the pilots' lives.

By 2531, Baselards were a part of the complement of, and several craft were aboard the ship when it arrived at Installation 00 in 2559, and were put to work against the Banished during the Second Ark Conflict. By this time, the Baselard was considered outdated. Despite this, the Baselard is still employed by the UNSC Air Force and UNSC Navy in many contexts.

In the post-war era, the Air Force has begun to investigate the replacement of their aging Baselard fleet, tentatively accepting SinoViet Heavy Machinery's S-930 Pegasus as a successor model - with the retirement of the Baselard intended to be complete by 2570. However, the onset of the Created uprising has put a temporary halt to these plans.

Trivia
A baselard is a type of dagger or short sword primarily used in Europe during the Late Middle Ages.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo: Silent Storm
 * Halo: Oblivion
 * Halo: Divine Wind
 * Winter Contention