Editing AV-49 Wasp

|manufacturer=[[Misriah Armory]]

|line=

|model=AV-49<ref name="tales">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-tales-stingers ''Halo Waypoint'': Canon Fodder - Tales & Stingers]</ref><ref name="polygon">[http://www.polygon.com/2016/6/21/11989318/meet-halo-5-s-new-boss-then-kill-it-with-this-new-vehicle?utm_campaign=polygon&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter ''Polygon'': MEET HALO 5’S NEW BOSS, THEN KILL IT WITH THIS NEW VEHICLE]</ref>

|length=7.62 meters (25 ft){{Ref/Reuse|HOSFM204}}

|width=6.4008 meters (21 ft){{Ref/Reuse|HOSFM204}}

|height=2.225 meters (7.3 ft){{Ref/Reuse|HOSFM204}}

|mass={{Convert|1360.7|kg|lb}}{{Ref/Reuse|HOSFM204}}

|max speed={{Convert|500|km/h|mph|sp=us}}{{Ref/Reuse|HOSFM204}}

|engine=

|hull=Light armor{{Ref/Reuse|polygon}}

*Equipped with [[energy shielding]]{{Ref/Reuse|polygon}}

|armament=*Twin 7.62mm heavy machine gun{{Ref/Reuse|HOSFM204}}

*Twin 50mm missile launchers{{Ref/Reuse|HOSFM204}}

|crew=1 pilot{{Ref/Reuse|HOSFM204}}

|firstuse=[[2553]]<ref name="HOSFM204">''[[Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual]]'', p.204</ref>

*Close air support{{Ref/Reuse|polygon}}{{Ref/Reuse|HOSFM204}}

|affiliation=[[United Nations Space Command]]{{Ref/Reuse|polygon}}

{{Quote|The AV-49 Wasp supplements existing stocks of AV-14 and AV-22 aircraft in Marine service. Close air support VTOL armed with heavy machine guns and twin rocket launchers.|REQ card description{{Ref/Reuse|REQ}}}}

The '''AV-49 Wasp''' is a [[VTOL]] aircraft in service with the [[United Nations Space Command]]{{Ref/Reuse|tales}} , with specialised variants employed by the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]].

== Specifications ==

Considered fast to produce and easy to maintain and optimise,{{Ref/Site|Id=CFShowcase|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/showcase-sensitive|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Showcase Sensitive|D=16|M=6|Y=2021}} the AV-49 shares several similarities with its fellow aerodynes, the [[AV-14 Hornet]], [[AV-19 SkyHawk]], [[AV-22 Sparrowhawk]], and [[AV-30 Kestrel]].<ref name="local units">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-local-units ''Halo Waypoint'': Canon Fodder - Local Units]</ref> The aircraft features an integrated VTOL propulsion system that combines dual lift ducted fan engines pioneered by the AV-30, with air-cooled vectored-thrust fusion thrusters for forward movement. The AV-49 also features twin 7.62 heavy machine guns  and twin 50mm missile launchers{{Ref/Reuse|HOSFM204}}, [[energy shielding]], and cyberlink-compatible fly-by-light avionics.{{Ref/Reuse|local units}}

Designed for expeditionary usage, the Wasp can be easily prepped and deployed with minimal tools, and their hardened storage containers have identical dimensions to [[NAVLOGCOM]]-standard flat containers, simplifying interstellar transport logistics.<ref name="buzz">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-buzz-generating ''Halo Waypoint'': Canon Fodder - Buzz Generating]</ref>{{Ref/Reuse|HOSFM204}}

The Wasp was developed alongside the [[STINGER-class Mjolnir]], which has two neural interface controllers to allow the operator to switch from flight to ground combat modes at the speed of thought.{{Ref/Reuse|tales}}

The Wasp augments existing stocks of AV-14 and AV-22 aircraft in [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marine]] service.{{Ref/Reuse|buzz}}<ref name="REQ">''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'', Hannibal Wasp [[List of REQ cards/Vehicles|REQ card]]</ref> UNSC doctrine sees the Wasp employed as a gunship escort for troop transports or on-call close air support for [[UNSC Special Forces|special forces]] teams.{{Ref/Reuse|HOSFM204}} The [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] employs their own variant of Wasp, using it for night sorties and stealth surveillance missions.<ref name="CFBH">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/bounty-hunters ''Halo Waypoint'': Canon Fodder - Bounty Hunters]</ref>

While the Wasp is a capable aircraft, [[UNSC Army]] garrisons, local defense forces, and militia groups still have little reason to transition to an airframe that requires constant off-world maintenance inputs, still favoring the [[JOV-99 Kestrel]].{{Ref/Site|Id=CRL|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-cutting-room-lore|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder, Cutting Room Lore|D=26|M=07|Y=22}}

==Operational history==

Although in use by [[2553]], the Wasp was still undergoing field trials with the UNSC as of [[2558]]. By this time, the [[Spartan Operations]] branch was asked to assess its tactical utility for their specific needs, with [[SPARTAN-IV program|SPARTANs]] able to test the vehicle in [[War Games]] simulations or review protypes manufactured aboard {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} in [[Hangar A-6]]. Due to their ease of assembly, [[Sarah Palmer]] recommended that all SPARTANs aboard ''Infinity'' become familiar with this process.{{Ref/Reuse|HOSFM204}}

By the time of the [[Battle for Zeta Halo]] in [[2560]], the Wasp was still in use by the UNSC. However, the models deployed on [[Installation 07]] lacked the energy shielding present in earlier iterations.{{Ref/Game|Hi}}

== Variations ==

*'''[[AV-49H Wasp]]''': Also known as the '''Hannibal Wasp''', the AV-49H was a collaboration between [[Misriah Armory]] and [[Hannibal Weapon Systems]] on initiatives to evolve their existing offerings of weapon systems and vehicles.<ref>[https://twitter.com/GrimBrotherOne/status/1174706574784221189 ''Twitter'' - GrimbrotherOne, "Yes to both" (In response to a question asking if the AV-49H was the Hannibal Wasp)]</ref>{{Ref/Reuse|CFBH}}

A vehicle called the Wasp was cut from ''[[Halo 4]]'' early in development.<ref name="gamecheat">[https://youtu.be/KXzYKQZDrpM?t=2m35s '''YouTube''' - ''Gamecheat13: Halo 4 - The Revenant and Disintegrator'']</ref> Whether it had any relation to the AV-49 Wasp is unclear. The Wasp vehicle was first teased in a [[Canon Fodder]] article on ''[[Halo Waypoint]]'', listed as the <code>AV-49 [DATA CORRUPTION! REBUILD IN PROGRESS . . .]</code> alongside several other UNSC aerodynes.{{Ref/Reuse|local units}} It was later formally revealed to be included in the [[Warzone Firefight]] update.{{Ref/Reuse|buzz}} The AV-49 Wasp was designed by Darren Bacon, David Heidhoff, and [[Nicolas Bouvier]] circa [[2015]].{{Ref/Site|Id=twitter|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=https://twitter.com/_darrenbacon/status/1363948194032353283|Site=Twitter|Page=Darren Bacon - @Halo 5 Wasp details... This vehicle all-up was a design collab w/ David Heidhoff and @nbsparth -piloting-~piloting~, c. 2015... #Halo #conceptart}}

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