RECON-class Mjolnir

The MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/R variant, colloquially known as Recon armor, is a stealth-oriented variant of the MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor that was commissioned and developed by the Office of Naval Intelligence. The helmet is also used with a specialized variant of the ODST armor.

GEN1
The Recon armor was developed parallel to the Scout armor in the Office of Naval Intelligence's Beta-5 Division Ordnance Testing Facility in Swanbourne, Perth, Western Australia. The armor was designed to provide the wearer with stealth capabilities and with little or no loss of endurance, specifically by reducing its infrared signature, reflective surfaces, and Cherenkov radiation emission. A similar helmet was also used in the Recon variant of the ODST armor.

GEN2
As a result of the Ordnance Commission, Imbrium Machine Complex took over production of the Recon variant after the Human-Covenant War. The GEN2 variant was tested at Ankara, Mare Imbrium, Luna. It offers improved movement stabilizers and adjustable shield distribution channels for versatility during deep-field reconnaissance. The GEN2 Recon helmet also contains a highly-classified Auspex battlenet uplink featuring state-of-the-art ONI counter-cyberintrusion and firewall routines. The armor itself is fitted with emissions baffling and plasma electronic support activity sensors for observation missions behind enemy lines.

Halo 3
Unlock: After March 2012, unlocked for online profiles by default. Previously, it was unlocked by completing the Vidmaster Challenges and clicking "Unlock My Recon" in Bungie.net Service Record.

Helmet
Base Price: 100,000 cR, Colonel HUL Price: 75,000 cR, Colonel UA/HUL[3]: Pre-order

Shoulders
Unlock: 1,500 cR, Corporal

Halo 4
Unlock: Available at Spartan Rank 26 Available skins: SURGE
 * The VERGE skin is obtainable by completing the Covenant Loadout Mastery commendation.

Halo 5: Guardians
Unlock: Achieve SR-5 (Helmet), SR-6 (Body armor)

Trivia

 * On 7/7/09, players that beat a team of Bungie employees in Matchmaking were awarded Recon Armor.
 * Unlocking the Vidmaster Endure Achievement will unlock Dare's Recon helmet as a wearable "hat" for the player's Xbox LIVE avatar.
 * On March 31, 2012 Bungie.net transferred all Halo 3 and Halo: Reach record-keeping to Halo Waypoint. As part of the transition Recon armor was unlocked by default for all online Halo 3 profiles.

List of appearances

 * Halo 3
 * Halo 3: ODST
 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo: Glasslands
 * Halo: The Thursday War
 * Halo 4
 * Halo: Initiation
 * Halo: Escalation
 * Halo 5: Guardians