B-65 Shortsword: Difference between revisions

{{Era|HCW}}

{{Vehicle Infobox

|image=[[File:Shortsword.png|300px]]

|name=B-65 ''Shortsword''

|manufacturer=[[Misriah Armory]]<ref name="vis"/>

|model=B-65

|class=Suborbital long-range bomber

|length={{Convert|27.3|m|ft}}<ref name="vis"/>

|width={{Convert|35.3|m|ft}}<ref name="vis"/>

|mass=

|max accel=

|max speed space=

|max speed air=

*[[M955 ASW/AC 30mm MLA]]<ref name="vis">'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 176''</ref>

*[[Maastricht/Raleigh Ordnance Delivery-Application System|M/RODAS delivery system]]<ref name="vis"/>

**[[Carpet bombing|Gravity bombs]]

**[[Cryo bomb]]

**[[XGBU-302 bomb]]

|role=Long-range bomber

|era= [[Human-Covenant War]]

|affiliation=[[United Nations Space Command]]

The Shortsword shares a similar design to the [[GA-TL1 Longsword]] interceptor, though it is less angular than the latter. It features elongated primary wings as well as smaller wings attached to a large boom apparatus at the rear of the fuselage. A large air intake is mounted on the dorsal surface of each wing; pronged structures, possibly ailerons, are located at the rear tip of each wing. Though the B-65 is designed to provide suborbital air support, it is capable of at least rudimentary space flight; Shortswords are often deployed from parent vessels in low orbit.

The Shortsword is typically armed with conventional bombs for performing [[carpet bombing]] runs, though it sometimes carries less conventional munitions such as a single [[cryo bomb]]. Bombers equipped with the [[Maastricht/Raleigh Ordnance Delivery-Application System|M/RODAS delivery system]] can release an [[XGBU-302 bomb|XGBU-302 disruption bomb]]. When releasing its payload, the Shortsword "punches" its munitions into the ground; the munitions then explode a short time later. As the bombs detonate in the order in which they are dropped, carpet bombing runs carried out by the Shortsword resemble twentieth-century napalm strikes.

{{Expand-Section}}

The use of the Shortsword differs depending on which leader character the player uses. [[Ellen Anders|Professor Ellen Anders]] uses it to drop a cryo bomb, a simple point-and-click power. [[John Forge|Sergeant John Forge]] uses it to perform carpet bombing runs, where the beginning of the bombing run must be selected. An arrow appears, and can be rotated around the start point, setting the angle of the bombing run, useful for hitting a number of enemies in different formations. All UNSC leaders can call on a Shortsword to deliver a disruption bomb.

The Shortsword can not be destroyed in-game.

*A Shortsword is a reference to a number of weapons intermediate between the sword and the dagger, in keeping with the UNSC's tradition of naming exoatmospheric vehicles, like The [[GA-TL1 Longsword|Longsword]] and the [[YSS-1000 Sabre|Sabre]] after bladed weapons. The atmospheric vehicles, which are named after real animals with the exceptions of the [[HRUNTING Mark III (B) Exoskeleton|Cyclops]] and [[XRP12 Combat Support Vehicle|Gremlin]], which are named after mythical creatures.  

*The Shortsword is similar in appearance to the United States Air Force's [[Wikipedia:B-2 Spirit|B2 ''"Spirit"'' stealth bomber]], with the notable exception of the Shortsword's large boom apparatus. Both aircraft fill a similar role, acting as bombers, although it is unknown if the Shortsword has any stealth capabilities, or if conventional stealth capabilities would have any impact on Covenant tracking technology.

*During the development of ''Halo Wars'', the Shortsword was originally to be a usable unit, docked at the [[UNSC airpad|airpad]]. In the concept art, its tail is retracted and its wings are angled up to make it more compact and allow docking.

<gallery widths="150">

File:HaloWars-B65-Shortsword-transparent.png|The B-65 Shortsword bomber as it appears in ''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''.

File:HW10.jpg|A Shortsword on a bombing run.

File:HW 1920x1200 6.jpg|Concept art of the Shortsword.

File:005 AirtowerV01.jpg|An early concept art image for the UNSC airpad. Note the [[Falcon (Fighter)|Falcons]] on the runway and one in the hangar, and a Shortsword docked with its wings retracted.

File:UNSC Shortsword.jpg|An early concept art image of the B-65 SOLR Shortsword bomber from Halo Wars.

<references/>

{{UNSCDF Aircraft}}