AC-220 Vulture: Difference between revisions

{{Era|UNSC|HCW|Post}}

{{Vehicle Infobox

|manufacturer=[[Ushuaia Armory]]<ref>''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]'', p. 202</ref>

|model=AC-220

|class=Heavy gunship

|length={{Convert|35.1|m|ft}}<ref>[http://halo.bungie.org/misc/sloftus_scalecomparison/1280h.html?display=unsca ''halo.bungie.org'': Determining the Real Sizes of Objects in Halo - Update]</ref>

|width=

|height=

|mass=

|max accel=

|max speed space=

|max speed air=

|hull=Titanium armor plating

|sensor=

|target=

|armament=*[[A-74 Sylver Vertical Missile Launcher]] (4-8)

**[[Anvil-IV air-to-surface missile]] (4-8)

*[[GAU-23/AW/Linkless Feed Autocannon]]s (4)

*[[Argent V missile]]s (18)

*[[Phoenix missile]]s

|firstuse=[[2498]]

{{Quote|Death From Above<ref name="unsc"/>}}

The '''AC-220 Vulture''' is a heavy gunship used by the [[United Nations Space Command]] during the [[Human-Covenant War]]. It is the preferred aerial combat vehicle during prolonged air-and-ground engagements, particularly against heavily fortified enemy strongholds.<ref name="waypoint">[http://halo.xbox.com/en-us#/intel/theuniverse/tech/gallery/vulture/d7c47141-fe31-43ff-8698-3ec01a19b356?filter=all ''Halo Waypoint'': AC-220 Vulture gunship] (defunct, [[Archive:Halo Waypoint/2009 to 2014/Universe/Vehicles#Vulture|Archived]])</ref>

==Design details==

The Vulture is the largest combat aerodyne currently fielded by the UNSC.<ref name="unsc">[http://www.halowars.com/GameInfo/UNSC.aspx ''Official Halo Wars Community Site'': UNSC] (defunct, [[Archive:Halowars.com/UNSC|Archived]])</ref><ref name="PL">''[[Halo Wars 2]]'', [[Phoenix Logs]] - Vulture</ref> It acts as a "flying tank", boasting two twin medium-[[GAU-23/AW/Linkless Feed Autocannon]]s, two top-mounted [[Argent V missile]] launchers and two rows of four [[A-74 Sylver Vertical Missile Launcher]]s, each boasting a single [[Anvil-IV air-to-surface missile]].<ref name="waypoint"/><ref>''[[Halo Wars: Official Strategy Guide]]'': p. 46</ref> Additionally, the Vulture carries a single [[Phoenix missile|Phoenix tactical missile]].<ref name="PL"/> The combined ANVIL and Argent missiles are specifically tailored to unleash a unified barrage on a given target, allowing it to overwhelm heavy armor and shielding.<ref name="waypoint"/>

Unlike most smaller UNSC craft, the Vulture is suspended in the air by a series of ducted fans visible near the rear of the aircraft, housing jet engines like the [[D77-TC Pelican]]. Due to its much larger mass and cross-section, it is slower than other UNSC aircraft, such as the [[AV-14 Hornet]] and the [[AV-22 Sparrowhawk]].

The Vulture requires a large number of highly trained UNSC pilots and gunners to operate servicing a crew of six.<ref name="unsc"/> This makes them expensive to deploy in terms of personnel (as opposed to the Sparrowhawk and Hornet, which require a single pilot and possibly a copilot). It lacks radiation shielding, preventing it from traveling in space.<ref name="waypoint" /><ref>''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]'', p. 250</ref> Despite this, they have some level of spaceflight capability, and are typically deployed directly from an orbiting warship to the ground.<ref name="HW">''[[Halo Wars]]'' - Vulture in-game unit</ref>

==Development history==

[[File:UNSC Vulture 2.jpg|thumb|left|An early prototype of the Vulture.<ref name="waypoint"/>]]

The Vulture's core attributes of design can be traced back to the older [[wikipedia:Douglas AC-47 Spooky|AC-47]], [[wikipedia:Fairchild AC-119|AC-119]], [[wikipedia:Lockheed AC-130|AC-130]], and [[AC-163 Gunship|AC-163]] gunships.<ref name="unsc"/><ref name="waypoint"/> The Vulture's flying tank-like design was conceived in [[2498]] to curtail the spreading [[Insurrection]] in the [[Outer Colonies]].<ref name="waypoint"/> By [[2545]], few Vultures remained in service against the Covenant due to irreplaceable combat losses. By [[2557]], the [[Materials Group]] was considering the possibility of restarting production of the Vulture with the benefit of incorporating new technologies and applying improved materials.<ref name="CF"/> During the [[Second Ark Conflict]], AI [[Isabel]]'s upgrades and logistical expertise was able to dramatically simplify Vulture production and maintenance.<ref name="PL"/>

==Operational history==

The AC-220 Vulture was used during both the [[Insurrection]] and [[Human-Covenant War]]. In [[2531]] the crew of the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} used several Vultures during the [[Battle of the Etran Harborage]] against the [[Covenant]], [[Flood]] and [[Sentinel]]s.<ref name="HW"/> Following the [[Human-Covenant War]], few Vulture gunships remained in service with the [[UNSC Armed Forces]] due to irreplaceable combat losses by 2545. <ref name="CF">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-feet-first ''Halo Waypoint'': Canon Fodder - Feet First]</ref> By [[2553#April|April 2553]], the [[Insurrectionist]]s on [[Venezia]] had acquired several Vultures and hid them in the old sandstone quarry next to [[Mount Longdon Road]] for use by the [[Venezian Militia]].<ref>''Halo: Mortal Dictata'', p. 103</ref> On [[2558#March|March 11, 2558]] several AC-220 Vultures belonging to the ''Spirit of Fire'', alongside multiple [[AV-22 Sparrowhawk]]s, attacked the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} when the ''[[Pilgrims' Pride]]'' was pulled into the ''Infinity's'' docking bay.<ref name="HE4">''[[Halo: Escalation]]'', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 4|Issue #4]]</ref>

In [[2559]], the ''Spirit of Fire'' continued to employ Vulture gunships in the [[Second Ark Conflict]].<ref>''[[Halo Wars 2]]''</ref>

In-game, the Vulture is considered an "über unit", and is constructed at the [[UNSC Airpad|airpad]], and requires six population, 900 resources, and a tech level of four. It can be upgraded with the ''Mega Barrage'' upgrade, potentially doubling its barrages' power; this upgrade is purchased at the air pad and costs 800 resource points and requires a minimum tech level of 4. For balance, the Vulture is one of only two vehicle units in ''Halo Wars'' that cannot be [[Boarding (gameplay mechanic)|commandeered]] by [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartans]], the other being the Covenant [[Type-47B Scarab|Scarab]]. The Vulture is the only air unit that is not immobilized by a single [[Type-29 Vampire|Vampire's]] stasis drain, though it is still damaged and can be immobilized by multiple synchronous drains.

*'''Cost:''' Population 9, Supplies 750, Power 75

In the campaign, the Vulture starts to appear in the mission [[The Foundry]], and is given in [[Last Stand]] as part of the fifth batch of reinforcements.

==Behind the scenes==

<gallery widths="160">

File:Vulture Barrage.jpg|Vulture firing a missile barrage at a [[Type-47B Scarab]].

<references/>

{{UNSC Aircraft}}