Irdnekt-pattern Banshee

The Irdnekt-pattern attack flyer, classified by humanity as the Type-26C Ground Support Aircraft (T-26C GSA), more commonly known as the Banshee, is a variant of the Type-26 Banshee commonly employed in Covenant service as a standard aircraft.

Design details
Favored by Sangheili ace sky-chevaliers, the Irdnekt-pattern Banshee was highly modifiable and provided a wide range of available performance upgrades. It bears heavy resemblance to the similar Oghal-pattern model, albeit with some minor changes. Visually, the Irdnekt-pattern's most notable distinction is the iridescent green canopy in place of the red found on Oghal-pattern models. This canopy similarly leaves the pilot partially exposed (particularly the feet and lower legs). Like the Oghal, the wings are connected at their ends with an antigravity pod to allow for flight.

The craft has two wing canards, each of which terminates in a boosted gravity propulsion drive including a jet and an anti-gravity pod; these leave a vaporous exhaust trail behind the Banshee. The craft is capable of achieving a velocity of over 100 km/h. The Banshee is capable of performing complex maneuvers such as aileron rolls and flips. The Banshee is also capable of hovering, though this ability is not often used.

Armament
The Irdnekt-pattern Banshee sports two weapon pods attached underneath the fuselage; each pod contains a Class-2 medium plasma cannon capable of firing in the 100-250 kilowatt range and a Class-2 fuel rod cannon. The plasma cannons are deadly to infantry; one bolt can instantly kill a lightly armored target. Armored targets such as the M808 Scorpion MBT can withstand only a few bolts before being destroyed.

Operational history
"Banshees, fast and low!"

- Anonymous UNSC pilot.

A number of Irdnekt-pattern Banshees were used throughout the Human-Covenant War, though appear to remain outmatched by their Oghal-pattern brothers and the Is'belox-pattern Banshees were only seen in widespread use in the final stages of the war.

The earliest known encounter of the Irdnekt-pattern Banshees against the UNSC along with the Insurrectionists such as URF was during the Battle of Alpha Corvi II on December 3, 2525, where they were extensively used over Alpha Corvi II alongside several Is'belox-pattern Banshees. When the short assault on Algolis took place, multiple Irdnekt-pattern Banshees were called in to weaken military forces attempting to protect and destroy valuable data in Weapons Research Facility T12A, and one such Banshee also shot down a civilian cargo transport that attempted to flee by firing its fuel rod cannon. During the siege on the facility, the majority of these Banshees were destroyed by a lone HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL Mark I ADS utilized by Sergeant "Ghost". Several Irdnekt-pattern Banshees were deployed by the Fleet of Particular Justice during the final stages of the Battle of Installation 04 both against the UNSC forces from and the Flood.

The Irdnekt-pattern was the standard model utilized by the Prophet of Truth's forces during the Battle of Earth, notably during the Battle of Kenya, and the Battle of Installation 00 in late 2552. The remnants of the Fleet of Sacred Consecration used these Banshees during the Battle of Mombasa shortly after the Prophet of Regret's departure to Installation 05. The Irdnekt-pattern Banshees were also used by the Fleet of Retribution against Truth's forces.

The Irdnekt-pattern was found in use of many Jiralhanae-led remnant factions after the end of the war, although still employed by Sangheili-led factions such as Merg Vol's Covenant during the post-war Battle of Draetheus V, the Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group during the Attack on Ealen IV, and UNSC-allied Sangheili detachments sanctioned by Arbiter Thel 'Vadam.

Trivia

 * In Celtic mythology, a banshee is a female spirit who wails for the death of a particular person before they die. Banshees must steal souls from people to continue their existence. The high-pitched sound made by the Covenant Banshee is a reference to this, especially while performing tight maneuvers making it easy to hear them before one sees them. This also fits the theme of Covenant vehicles, with the exceptions of the Excavators, being named after supernatural entities.

Production notes
The Type-26C Banshee is the Banshee design introduced in Halo 3 and later featured in Halo 3: ODST. The design was not given a formal designation difference until a 2015 Halo Waypoint universe entry.

List of appearances

 * Believe
 * Diorama
 * Halo: Landfall
 * Halo: Combat
 * Halo: Last One Standing
 * Halo 3
 * The Life
 * Halo 3: ODST
 * Halo Legends
 * Origins
 * Prototype
 * The Babysitter
 * Halo: Blood Line
 * Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
 * Terminals
 * Halo: Spartan Assault
 * Halo: Escalation
 * ''Halo: Collateral Damage
 * Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual