MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor

The MJOLNIR (Pronunciation: myôl'nir) Powered Assault Armor is a heavy and complex suit of ground infantry armor of the United Nations Space Command designed to be worn by a Spartan II.

Introduction
It was designed by Dr. Catherine Halsey a civilian scientist in the employment of the UNSC Office of Naval Intelligence section three. The armor has undergone several incarnations during the many years of its development. The armor line is named for the mythical weapon Mjölnir, the hammer of Thor, weapon of the Norse god of lightning, thunder, wind, and rain. The origin for the word "Mjölnir" is unknown. 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 melt (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, namely that the Spartan-IIs designed to wear the armor would be primarily an offensive force.

Mark I Prototype Exoskeleton
The Mark I battle suits were one of the Navy's first experiments 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 (4,409 pounds) and run at 32 KPH (19.88 MPH). The armor is nearly impervious to standard light weapons. It could mount a 30-millimeter mini gun that fired on self-targeting armatures that had stun rounds for training and live bullets for actual combat. They could also be equipped with motion sensors and infrared scopes. The suit used a hydraulic system with hydraulic fluid which moved the suit. The suit consumed enormous energy, so it required a large cable to run between it and a fusion generator, which hindered movement, or the use of inefficient broadcast power, and was thus never seen in battle. It was, however, used to carry heavy equipment in docking bays, and dozens of others 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.

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 user's body. The suit plugs directly into the user'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 user'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 user's 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 user moves the suit, and in return, the suit moves the user. 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 troops with the physical prowess required to drive the system. Previous attempts to wear the prototype suit by non-augmented troops 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, and 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 rebreather 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 troop wearing this armor can survive approximately three times as much damage from plasma weapons than even a human ODST could in full ballistic re-entry armor. The armor also provides almost complete immunity from ballistic firearms, though for gameplay reasons MJOLNIR armor is prone to ballistic damage in the games (which are considered 'more' canon).

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, though it was first produced in 2542. 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) 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, the process of adapting the shield to cover the entire body has weakened the energy field, making the Mark V's shield system vulnerable to ballistic fire, unlike Jackal shields, which are near-impervious to ballistic weaponry. This is unfortunate, as Flood Combat Forms frequently use UNSC weaponry. The armor is made up of layers of dense material and the outside is coated with an energy-absorbing coating.

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 V and VI are equipped with magnetic pads placed throughout the suit, on the belt, thighs and back. LOTUS Anti-Tank 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, when he and the AI Cortana successfully fought their way across a planet-like, artificial ring-world called Halo.

The helmet is featured as one of the many multiplayer Armor Permutations in Halo 3

MJOLNIR Mark VI
"Well, I guess it was all obsolete anyway. Your new suit's a Mark VI, just came up from Songnam this morning. " -- Master Gunns

The Mark VI version 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, eliminating a number of grapple points that an enemy could use in a close-quarters combat. This version of the armor can now track the status of two active weapons at the same time, and also includes a visual magnification system, allowing the SPARTAN to see distant objects with ease.

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, slightly faster jumping speed,and jump height. 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. It is also likely that the suit automatically increases the pressure level of its hydrostatic gel as the wearer is falling, explaining the lack of fall damage in the second game. According to the Halo 3 intro cinematic, the Mark VI also includes a "lockdown" mode, where the suit retains a rigid form upon sustaining heavy trauma, most likely to avoid further injury. This explains the lack of a rag-doll animation when the player is flying through the air after being hit by a vehicle. However, other NPCs also have this animation, it usually occurs when being melee'd or getting caught in an explosion.

Spartan-117 is the only confirmed Spartan-II to receive the full Mark VI armor.

The MJOLNIR is an adaptable suit of armor, with many variations and modifications possible to it, optimizing it for certain functions.

John-117's armor alters slightly graphically in between Halo 2 and Halo 3. Whether these changes will be explained, or whether they are canon to the Halo universe in unknown. Note that in Halo 3, there appears to be a piece of Master Chief's armor missing on his chest.

Armor Components

 * Luminous Green Refractive Titanium Alloy (External)
 * Matte Black Alloy (External)
 * 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. The helmet also has on the side a small recharging flood-light, which is useful in combat situations in poorly lit areas. It is solar-powered, recharging its energy from the sun when possible, or just from the MJOLNIR Combat Suit. The visor is also polarized to filter the amount of light that enters the helmet.

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

 * "Mjolnir" (Mjølner in Norwegian, Mjölner in Swedish and Mjölnir in German) is the hammer-like weapon that the Norse thunder god Thor uses to make lightning bolts by throwing it.
 * It has been confirmed that the armor in Halo 3 is still MJOLNIR Mark VI.
 * In both game manuals and in the books it is said that the armor weighs in at 1000 pounds, or a half-ton. However, in Halo 3, the armor floats and drifts in water.  It has been stated that the armor has a feature that enables the suit to change its density, that can be activated by the occupant and that automatically activates upon the Spartan going unconscious.  This would prevent Spartans from sinking to the bottom of an ocean and have to walk to shore to get out.
 * In the Half-Life series the armor (Hazardous Environment Suit) worn by the protagonist Gordon Freeman is called the Mark IV in Half-Life, and Mark V in Half-Life 2.
 * In an interview with Frank O'Connor in GamePro magazine, several interesting facts are mentioned. (These facts were also mentioned in a separate interview with Electronic Gaming Magazine.)
 * Frank states that the Master Chief goes to the bathroom in his armor, and that his urine can be filtered to where he can drink it.
 * Frank also says that the grenades are held onto the Chief's waist by magnetic pads. When asked where the equipment went, he answered, "As for the equipment, how they disappear? That's magic."
 * Furthermore, Frank states that the slight protrusion above the Master Chief's visor is actually a psychological deterrent against enemies, among other things.
 * Finally, it is stated that the MJOLNIR Mark VI comprises of a series of Nanotech Polymers that allows the suit to change its color and even create patterns.
 * In Halo 3 Public Beta there was the Master Chief's face visible under the helmet's visor. It could be seen by positioning a player a certain distance away from a mongoose, and using the camera to view under the model.
 * The Mark V has been growing in popularity in the last few months due to some players stating quote 'The Mark V looks more advanced'.
 * John 117's preference of armor is currently indefinite, as he does not articulate his feelings on the transition from Mark V to Mark IV armor.

Related Links

 * Elite Combat Harness
 * Master Chief
 * Semi Powered Infiltration Armor
 * Forerunner Combat Skin
 * Armor Permutations
 * Project HAYABUSA