Editing AV-14 Hornet

{{Era|UNSC|HCW|Post}}

{{Center|''Were you looking for the [[HORNET mine]], a nuclear weapon used by the UNSC?''}}

{{Vehicle Infobox

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==Specifications==

The AV-14 is a vertical take off and landing vehicle (VTOL) that has been in service since the [[Insurrection]],<ref>'''Halo Legends''', ''Origins''</ref> at least as early as [[2524]].<ref name="enyc">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 248''</ref><ref name="evo">'''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe''', "Dirt", ''page 113''</ref> It serves as the UNSC's primary assault, search and reconnaissance, and close air support aircraft. The Hornet is an atmospheric craft and as such cannot be deployed by orbital vessels unless a ship rated for atmospheric entry can deliver it to the battlefield. It is easier for the Hornet to be deployed from an air base located on the surface than from a ship.

The AV-14 Hornet is armed with both anti-infantry and anti-vehicle weapon systems. The AV-14 Hornet can be configured with one of two anti-infantry systems. The first configuration contains two triple-barreled, fire-linked rotary cannons. These are located on either side above the cockpit on the leading edges of the wing. The guns fire synchronously, and can be elevated and depressed to a small degree, without affecting the flight pattern of the Hornet. The second is a single, nose-mounted [[GUA-23/AW/Linkless Feed Autocannon]] that fires .50 BMG ammunition.<ref name="evo"/><ref>'''Halo Wars'''</ref><ref name="wars">'''[[Halo Wars: Official Strategy Guide]]''', ''page 45''</ref> The anti-vehicle system is composed of two [[Class-2 Guided Munition Launch System]]s that are mounted on the ventral surface of the aircraft's landing skids. When triggered, each pod fires a single missile. Like the [[LAU-65D/SGM-151]] missile system, the Class-2 GMLS is capable of achieving a target lock. In addition the Hornet can be armed with two chaff pods to counter radar-guided missiles. These are copper nickel-coated glass fibers or silver-coated nylon fibers having lengths equal to half of the anticipated radar wavelength.<ref name="wars"/>

*'''2531 Hornet''': Deployed by the crew of the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} during the [[Harvest campaign]] through to the [[Battle of the Etran Harborage]], this variation has a large rotary cannon built into the nose of the aircraft, rather than the two guns on later models.<ref name="wars"/>

The AV-14 Hornet is known for its efficiency in combat situations; its multi-purpose role allows the vehicle to take on a wide array of missions and can perform without any major problems. In its role as an attack craft the AV-14 is very effective at hunting down and destroying armor with relative ease; the homing Class-2 GMLS can take down the toughest Covenant armor in only a few strikes, making it the UNSC's prime choice for hunting down tanks, aside from the [[AV-22 Sparrowhawk]]. Its ability to engage infantry also makes the AV-14 both an offensive and defensive aircraft; the triple-barreled rotary cannons can destroy heavily armored and heavily shielded targets with little effort, and its ability to place itself in a stationary position to lay down cover fire while a larger craft retrieves fellow infantry also allows it to perform its role as a support craft. The firepower of the craft is a major asset when escorting other aircraft which could be susceptible to ground fire into dangerous territory. Its role as a support craft is further bolstered by its ability to easily insert small strike teams into combat situations.

 

While the AV-14 Hornet has a wide variety of roles and advantages, its greatest weakness is its light armor — making it susceptible to anything larger than small arms fire.<ref name="enyc"/> Although the Hornet is rather nimble, it lacks the maneuverability of the [[D77-TC Pelican]] and the AV-22 Sparrowhawk, which can occasionally be a liability in combat conditions. Infantry atop of vehicles landing skids are also at risk of taking enemy fire, as they have no protection at all, which is why the AV-14 Hornet is often used to insert small strike teams, but not to extract them, in combat operations.<ref name="evo"/><ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 20''</ref> The risk of casualties from anti-aircraft fire mandates the use of more heavily armored aircraft like the D77-TC Pelican or the [[UH-144 Falcon]] for extraction.

 

===''Halo Wars''===

The Hornet in ''[[Halo Wars]]'' is the mainline UNSC aircraft and is capable of engaging both ground and air targets. It can be built at the [[UNSC Airpad|Air Pad]] for a cost of 250 resources and 2 population with a tech level of 2. It has several upgrades:

*''Wingmen'': Adds two Marine passengers who each carry an [[M41 rocket launcher]]. The upgrade costs 400 resources and requires a tech level of 3.

*''Chaff Pod'': Increases the Hornet's avoidance of anti-air fire. The upgrade costs 900 resources and requires a tech level of 4.

*''Hawk'': Upgrades the Hornet into an [[AV-22 Sparrowhawk]], which has greater firepower and hitpoints and is faster than a Banshee. This upgrade is available only if [[Ellen Anders|Professor Anders]] is the selected leader. The upgrade costs 1350 resources and requires a tech level of 4.

 

 

===''Halo Wars 2''===

The Hornet can be built by all UNSC leaders at the [[Airpad]]. They are effective against vehicles, but are only okay against infantry, aircraft, and structures. In [[Blitz]], a Hornet costs 60 energy, while a Trooper Hornet costs 100 energy.

*A hornet is an insect, in keeping with the UNSC's tradition of naming atmospheric vehicles after real animals with the exceptions of the [[Longsword]], [[Shortsword]], [[Broadsword]], and [[Sabre]], which are named after bladed weapons and are capable of space flight.  

{{UNSC Aircraft}}