AV-14 Hornet

AV-14 Attack VTOL The AV-14 Attack VTOL, full name AV-14 Attack Vertical Takeoff and Landing (Vehicle), colloquially known as the "Hornet", is a United Nations Space Command atmospheric assault vehicle. It is armed with two Class-2 Guided Munition Launch Systems made up of a missile launcher under each jump seat, and a tri-barreled Gatling-gun. It is also capable of carrying up to four passengers in lateral jump-seats, that are highly exposed.

Overview
The Hornet consists of a one-man cockpit, which makes up most of its mass, and a rear section extending a meter, or so, backward. From the top of this rear section are a set of wings with what appear to be jet engines/turbo fans at the ends, providing the Hornet's main source of propulsion. It seems to possess TADS [Target Acquisition and Designation System] gear on the nose similar to 21st Century attack helicopters such as the AH-64 Apache. On each side of the cockpit is a jump-seat extending backward that double as a landing skid, which allows up to 2 Spartan-sized passengers to fire from the sides (the vehicle can actually carry four regular Marines ). Its purpose in this way also seems to mirror that of another modern day helicopter, the MH-6 Little bird, which also ferries special forces soldiers on side mounted jump-seats while being lightly armed to support ground troops. It's slightly longer in length than the Covenant Banshee, and its wingspan is larger as well. Unlike the Banshee, the Hornet can remain stationary in the air, but it lacks the evasive maneuvers of the Banshee and cannot train its weapons on targets.

The controls for the Hornet appears to be similar to those of a helicopter, suggesting that as turbine-driven VTOL craft became more practical, they replaced helicopters. The Hornet is most likely used in a supporting role to larger crafts, such as the Pelican Dropship or the Hawk, though the latter carries heavier armaments at the expense of being unable to ferry soldiers. The Hornet is generally used in the role of a gunship, or a close air support aircraft (much like the 21st Century Mil Mi-24 "Hind") as it's able to both transport soldiers and support them (like the AH-6 Little Bird).

Operational History
Hornets were used as early as 2524, during Operation: TREBUCHET when they were used to ferry Marine strike teams from target to target, as well as evacuating wounded men. In Halo: Contact Harvest, Sergeant Johnson has an M99 Stanchion Gauss Rifle tied to the wing of the Hornet he rides.

Hornets also saw use in the Third Battle of Harvest as ground support and fighter aircraft, as well as at the First Battle of Arcadia and the Battle of the Flood-controlled Shield World.

Hornets were not observed after that until much later, during the Second Battle of Earth in 2552. They provided air cover throughout the battles at New Mombasa and Voi. Several Hornets were later brought to the Ark and fought against enemy Banshee formations during the Battle of the Ark.

Armament
In respect of weapons, the Hornet is similar to its Covenant cousin, featuring both anti-infantry and anti-vehicle weapons. These consist of two triple-barreled 20mm automatic cannons mounted on both sides of the cockpit, on the top side of the wings, mounted on pivoting "arms". (It should be noted that the 2531-model Hornet has the machine guns under the nose.) The anti-vehicle capabilities of the Hornet comprise of two six-missile pods on the underside of the jump seats, which fire dual missiles much like those fired by the Missile Pod; however, the missiles are weaker and easier to avoid. However, like those of the Missile Pod, they lock onto enemy vehicles and turrets and have a slight homing ability. Though the missiles' tracking systems aren't as good as the Missile Pod, they are still capable of destroying all ground vehicles with four to six missiles.

Armor
The Hornet is very resistant to small arms fire. However, the machine gun/plasma cannon and the armaments on the Warthog are capable of doing heavy damage to it. A Gauss cannon can destroy a Hornet in three consecutive hits. Wraith mortars and Scorpion rounds are both one hit kills if they hit near the cockpit, otherwise, they will simply drain your shield. Rockets and Spartan Lasers are able to destroy Hornets with one shot. Missile Pods require three to four hits. When a Hornet sustains enough damage, the windshield will crack and shatter, leaving the pilot open to sniper fire.

Appearances
Hornets debuted in Halo 3. They are first seen at the beginning of Crow's Nest. Though Hornets are visible fighting Banshees for most of the early levels, they are only available for use by the player twice, both times in the Campaign level The Covenant. In the first appearance, they are used to move quickly from one location to another, with air-to-air combat in between. Later in the mission, they prove to be particularly useful in regards to taking down two Scarabs as they can hover in position to destroy the power core or remove any Brutes and Grunts on the Scarab or on nearby vehicles.

The Hornet can be used in Halo 3 Multiplayer. The default version is exclusively available in Custom Games. Avalanche, included in the Legendary Map Pack, features a down-graded, Snow-camoflaged Hornet which is usable both in Matchmaking and custom games. Both the 'transport' and 'normal' versions appear on the Mythic Map Sandbox.

The Hornet also appears in Halo Wars as the main UNSC aircraft. Can be built at the Air Pad for a cost of 250 resources with a minimum tech level of 2 and fills up 2 population slots. It is capable of engaging both ground and air targets and has several upgrades:
 * Wingmen: Adds two Marines riding who carry a Rocket Launcher each.
 * Chaff Pod: Increases the Hornet's avoidance of anti-air fire.

Also, only when Professor Anders is the selected leader:
 * Hawk: Evolves the Hornet into the Hawk gunship equipped with laser beams, which has a greater firepower and hitpoints.

Hornet Versus Banshee
The Hornet is commonly said to be far superior to its Covenant counterpart, the Banshee. In many ways, this is true. For example:
 * A Hornet's rotary Gatling guns are more effective against vehicles, and often personnel, than a Banshee's plasma cannons.
 * Hornets can hover, as well drive backwards, while Banshees are always moving forward slightly.
 * Banshees cannot turn quickly, while Hornets can. If a Banshee is being fired at from the rear, it is an easy target.
 * Hornets can carry passengers, and are much harder to hijack than Banshees.
 * Hornets are more durable than Banshees, offering the pilot more protection.
 * Hornet's missiles have lock-on capabilities while the Fuel Rod Cannon on the Banshee does not, except in Campaign, where the Banshee's Fuel Rod Cannon slightly homes in on it's target.
 * The Hornet has a faster cruising speed than the Banshee but the Banshee's ability to boost gives it a higher top speed. However, a Banshee will lose offensive capabilities when using boost.

However, Banshees do have some advantages over the Hornet:
 * A Banshee has evasive rolls and flips to avoid enemy fire. Lacking these, Hornets are easier targets.
 * Hornets lack a boost, which the Banshee has and can propel the Banshee across a map very quickly, or flee a battle.
 * A Banshee's ordinance can inflict more damage to a vehicle than the Hornet's rockets.
 * If the glass hood of the Hornet is damaged, then then the pilot is extremely vulnerable to sniper fire. A rather easy shot to the head from such a weapon could finish off a distracted pilot with ease. A Banshee, in comparison, is exceedingly difficult to damage with a sniper rifle.
 * The Banshee's armor is slightly stronger than the Snow Hornet's, likely to balance out the fact that the Hornet's Gatling-guns fire at a faster rate than its Plasma Cannons.

Halo 3 Hornet Strategies
The Hornet is a new vehicle for Halo 3, and is one of the best in the game if used correctly. In Campaign, the Hornet dominates all battles it enters with its accurate and effective chain-guns, as well as its guided missiles. While in Matchmaking on Avalanche, however, the Hornet has no missiles, the chain guns have a slower rate of fire, is Snow-camouflaged, and moves slightly faster. Thus it remains a great transport and support vehicle, and can change the face of a battle if used well. Here are a list of strategic tips for both pilots and troops riding on the wings of Hornets.

Strategies for pilots

 * The Hornet can only take so much damage before going down. Three missiles from a Missile Pod will take one out. Therefore, if you hear a beeping sound signaling that you are being tracked, try to do some evasive moves, like spinning the Hornet while moving backwards. If the Hornet is being tracked by someone with a Spartan Laser, as in when you see the red laser near your Hornet, it is best advised for you and your passengers to drop out of the vehicle as quickly as possible. (Note: In Matchmaking, your teammates sometimes may not hear you.)


 * One blast from a Spartan Laser will also take a Hornet out, unless it narrowly misses, in which it will only inflict heavy damage, but not destroy the vehicle and kill you, which will give you enough time to get out of the Hornet or get away from the laser holders point of view.


 * In Campaign, it is best to give your Marine allies a heavy weapon like a Rocket Launcher, they can assist in destroying nearby infantry/vehicles that are often not in your sight.


 * While it is not overly recommended due to the small field of view, a passenger with a Spartan Laser or Rocket Launcher could easily replace the lack of missiles on the Snow-Hornet. Even so, the fact that any would-be passengers are incredibly vulnerable to even small arms fire, this is not a recommended tactic.


 * Like the Mongoose, the Hornet can be used for rapid relocation of a sniper or platform to fire from as it can go as high as some unreachable structures, and also serves an excellent objective item-holding carrier, being a more durable and harder to hit target than a Mongoose or a Warthog.


 * Do not engage Warthogs with the Hornet unless you have a range advantage, or the element of surprise, or teammates providing sufficient supporting fire. The Warthog's turret can easily rip an overzealous Hornet to shreds. However, attacking a Wraith while in a Hornet is recommended, as the Wraith's arcing shot make it difficult to line up with a flying target and hit. Wraith mortars rarely hit a Hornet, but if there is someone on the Wraith's secondary turret, try to fight and fall back if your shields get low, as it can rip up a Hornet like a Warthog's turret, if you are not careful. And also, try to watch your back as the Hornet can be clumsy and easily bump into a tree or rock formation, giving the Wraith a chance at hitting.


 * Skilled pilots may decide to use the Hornet much like the Pelican, in that you could use the Hornet to drop off teammates near strategic locations. Be wary if using this tactic near enemy bases, as you are more than guaranteed to get shot at by explosives.


 * This is the only vehicle in Halo 3 to have a first-person-view for the passenger. This can be extremely helpful in looking around and aiming.


 * Actually, the Hornet passenger have third person view. It takes quite an amount of fiddling about to actually see this, though. The camera is directly above the passenger's head.

Transport Hornet
The Transport Hornet, also known as the Snow Camouflaged Hornet is exclusive to Avalanche and Sandbox. The new version of the Hornet is camouflaged grayish-white. Bungie has removed its missiles and decreased its chain-guns' rate of fire (e.g. the Transport Hornet's chain-guns are weaker then those of the Warthog's chain gun), shifting the Hornet from an aggressive assault vehicle to a more conservative air support/transport unit. These alterations will even out dogfights with the Covenant Banshee, giving the Banshee a chance against this new Hornet in the air, instead of the Hornet acting as a practically unstoppable "hovering platform of death". The Snow Hornet on Avalanche has been used as a very effective transport vehicle for teams during objective games. It has also been noted to be slightly faster than its normal counterpart, probably to make up for the slow rate of firepower. The best way to counter this type of Hornet is with the Warthog's turret, which completely overpowers the Hornet.

Trivia

 * If you want to get better at piloting Hornets in Halo 3 Multiplayer, a good practice approach is to play the level "The Covenant" on Legendary from Rally Point Alpha, and strictly use your twin-machine gun turrets, not your homing missiles. This really helps if you want to improve your dog fighting skills.
 * The Hornet was mentioned in Halo: Contact Harvest, Sergeant Johnson was in one of the jump-seats whilst trying to snipe an Insurrectionist.
 * The Hornet bears a slight resemblance to its namesake insect with the "wings" growing slightly wider towards the end (like a real hornet's wing) and with the personnel jump seats mimicking the long back legs that often trail behind the posterior of the insect.
 * Not including the pilot, the Hornet is capable of fitting two Spartans in Halo 3, but Hornets can carry four UNSC Marines for insertion operations.
 * The Covenant is the only level in the Halo 3 Campaign in which the Hornet is available, but is usable twice during the mission.
 * Due to the presence of a winch at the rear of the aircraft, it has been suggested that a Mongoose could be carried under the hull of the Hornet. This however, is not possible in-game.
 * Unlike Spartans, Elites will not hold onto the handle bars when they get into the passenger seat.
 * A funny glitch that can be seen in Campaign is when the Arbiter sits in a hornet, his feet stick out on the bottom.
 * In Halo Wars, it seems the Hornet doesn't use it's twin chain guns, but rather a chin-mounted Gatling gun, but this may simply be a different, or earlier variant, as Halo Wars is set over 20 years prior to Halo 3
 * Sometimes in Halo Wars, a selected Hornet will say "AV-14 reporting". A rare occurance to a vehicle in a Halo game being called by it's model name instead of the nickname.
 * In Halo Wars, when the "Wingmen" upgrade is unlocked for the Hornet, the Marines sit on the wings instead of stand (like they do in Halo 3) because they are much larger. This is because all units in Halo Wars are not to scale with each other.

Related Links

 * Kestrel - A Halo 2 cut vehicle.
 * Sparrowhawk - The upgrade for the Hornet, a heavy aircraft featured in Halo Wars.
 * Banshee - The Covenant counterpart of the Hornet.