MJOLNIR battle armor is a fictional suit of battle armor in the Halo series of video games and novels used by the Spartan II super soldiers, most notably by the series's protagonist Master Chief.
This powerful armor has recharging energy shields, and a head link for AIs' (Artificial Intelligence).
In the 26th century, soldiers have used performance enhancing equipment for hundreds of years, and the MJOLNIR battle armor represents the current pinnacle of military technology. The armor was envisioned by Dr. Catherine Halsey, who realized that no normal human could wear the armor without literally shattering every bone in his body through a horrifyingly violent and uncontrollable chain reaction of muscle spasms; The armor endowed its wearer with a very powerful amplification of physical strength, to the point that a human without surgical augmentations and a lifetime of grueling physical training would be crushed by his own amplified strength. However, the Spartan II Project super soldiers are capable of using the armor with devastating expertise.
The lethality of this system was demonstrated by the Master Chief in Halo: Combat Evolved, when he and the AI construct he was protecting from the Covenant, Cortana, fought their way across a planet-like ring world called Halo.
At least six different versions of MJOLNIR armor exist, and each generation of armor offers improvements over earlier models. Models are designated by the notation "Mark n". For example, a Mark V model is more powerful than a Mark IV.
MJOLNIR Mark III PROTOTYPE
The next prototype, the Mark III, incorporated a power transmission-receiver so that power could be transmitted to it much like the Orbital Defense Platforms in orbit of major UNSC colonies. This design was quickly rejected for two reasons. The main reason being that the armor still had a limited operational range, as the power generator could not be moved easily. The second reason was that if the generator was destroyed somehow, the users would become trapped in worthless, metal shells.
MJOLNIR Mark IV
The MJOLNIR Mark IV is the centerpiece of human engineering that surrounds the Spartan II soldier. This advanced protection battle suit is integrated into the soldier’s muscles, and brain. The suit plugs directly into the Spartan’s head. The suit responds as quickly as the Spartan can think.
MJOLNIR Mark V
After a variety of changes to their battle armor design that started with the Mark I prototype, the UNSC (United Nations Space Command) fielded the MJOLNIR MK IV battle armor with its clandestine Spartan II super soldiers. These soldiers were the only ones who could possibly field this suit not only because of the extreme physical requirements it took to operate in the suit, but also because of the rigorous combat it was designed for. The Spartan IIs had undergone genetic, biochemical and cybernetic modifications to their bodies and experienced a lifetime of incredibly difficult training in order to prepare them for their combat duties, which made them the only humans for which use of the suit was feasible. The Mark IVs are later replaced by Mark Vs on Reach immediately prior to the Halo incident. The only notable differences between these two models is that the Mark V has energy shields, an even smaller fusion pack, and requires a more advanced neural interface capable of supporting an AI.
The MJOLNIR armored suit is powered by two integrated, miniaturized fusion reactors. The cost of the power packs, as suggested in a discussion at the beginning of , is astronomical.
Integrated into the Mark V combat suit is a dynamic, self-recharging, sophisticated energy shielding system, built upon from captured Covenant alien technology (specifically, that of a Jackal's handheld shields or an Elite's full-body shields) that repels mass objects and energy bursts. While impacts on the shield place a substantial drain on the system's power supply, system energy regenerates quickly once the Spartan II moves away from the barrage.
The MJOLNIR armor contains an integrated computer system which continuously monitors weapons, shields, biological function, motion (through an intelligent motion-sensing radar), and contains a special partition for an AI, which is intended to assist the Spartan II in real-time by monitoring communication channels, computer relays, and friendly combat updates. In addition to interfacing with UNSC-standard data links, the MJOLNIR rmor is also compatible with Covenant datalinks, allowing the wearer to access Covenant weapons and battle networks.
The suit is air-tight, hardened against vacuum, and features air-filtration systems as well as a built-in oxygen supply that can last for up to 90 minutes. The suit's helmet also features a standard UNSC mounted flashlight with its own separate power supply.
The physical armor beneath the Mark V's energy shielding is specifically designed for combat with the Covenant. It resists the Covenant's plasma-based weaponry extremely well; even with the suit's energy shielding disabled, a SPARTAN soldier can survive approximately three times as uch damage from plasma weapons than an ordinary human marine could. The armor also provides basic protection from human ballistic projectiles, although only to a slightly higher degree as regular marine combat armor. The suit itself is practically indestructible and is capable of sustaining tremendous damage and still being able to function, but even though the suit will continue to operate, the human inside can still be injured or killed by a penetrating round or sufficient plasma impacts to the suit's outer shell.
The suit also has a number of other features, including recoil-compensating actuators, hydrostatic gel (to regulate temperature and dampen impact force), and biofoam injectors. However, the biofoam injectors and medicalcare systems of the Mark V must be provided with a direct supply of biofoam, medicines and stimulants from a standard marine first aid kit when the user is injured, as the suit will not hold or generate a supply of medicines and Biofoam, unlike the Mark VI.
The ultimate lethality of this system was demonstrated by Spartan 117, also known as "John" or "John-117", the famed "Master Chief" in Halo: Combat Evolved, when he and his AI construct Cortana fought their way across a planet-like, artificial ring world called Halo. John stands 7 feet tall and weighs nearly a half-ton in this armor system. This is because of the myriad features contained within the combat suit. Though the MJOLNIR MK V ttle armor was successful against the Covenant on Halo, the Master Chief received the updated MJOLNIR MK VI battle armor once he returned to Earth, which featured better armor, and a more advanced energy shield and computer system.
MJOLNIR Mark V.5
This is not an official name, but has been used by some fans to describe modified Mjolnir Mark V armor. Several Spartans upgrade their Mark V suits with Mark VI components over the course of the novel, First Strike.
MJOLNIR Mark VI
The Mark VI of the MJOLNIR battle armor improves upon some of the weaknesses of the earlier forms. The energy shielding system recharges significantly faster and is stronger. The suit is less bulky than its Mark V cousin. This, however, is traded off for greatly reduced durability, as the unshielded suit now only offers minor protection from plasma weaponry and ballistic projectiles. This version of the armor can now track the status of two separate weapons at the same time.
Also, the armor can now heal minor to moderate injuries over a course of time, due to an improved onboard supply of biofoam, which can be injected into the wearer's body, filling and sealing wounds, slowing bleeding and eventually numbing the pain, eliminating the need for a field medic for all but the most severe wounds. Due to increased shield strength of the Mark VI, fall injury has been eliminated almost entirely.
Following the storyline of the games, the Master Chief (SPARTAN 117) and other Spartan IIs are the only ones capable of wearing the armor. If a normal human attempted to wear it, they would not be able to handle the suit's speed and power and would ultimately kill themselves.
Armor Features
MJOLNIR "Heads Up Display"
The HUD of the MJOLNIR Mark V armor is critical to the Spartan's survival. It provides health monitors, ammo gauges, and provides critical mission data via NAV points which identify objectives. The HUD is an integral part of the armor: whenever a soldier picks up a different weapon, the firing recticle changes to conform to the weapon he's holding--via microscopic sensors in the armor's gloves. The NAV points point to any objectives that need to be completed, and show the distance between the suit's wearer and the target. It keeps track of his health signs by tiny sensors built into the suit that monitor heart beat, breathing, wounds, blood flow, and neural activity. In addition to these features the suit also has a built-in Motion Tracker which is indispensable for combat situations. The motion tracker tracks movement and "paints" the targets different colors corresponding to transponder signals--yellow for friendly, white for neutral, and red for hostile. An AI linked to the suit can provide tactical data readouts via the HUD and can "see" through the HUD's optical recorders.
MJOLNIR Rechargeable Energy Shield
The MJOLNIR Mark V battle suit is issued with an energy shield that was derived by technicians who reverse-engineered the Covenant's own Jackal shields. The shield was altered to conform to the body rather than having the Spartan carry it like the Jackals. The shield does have limits though; plasma weapons and explosions can eat through the shield very quickly. The shield can recharge itself after failing, although this process takes some time. The Spartans have a great deal of control over their energy shields, as demonstrated by John-117 when he first donned the Mark 5 armour. The wearer can control the coverage/strength of his energy shield using the HUD controls. This allows the Spartan to adjust the shield to be thin around the hands and feet to allow for traction and dexterity, while allowing it to be thicker around other areas for increased protection.
"The suit is less bulky than its Mark V cousin. This, however, is traded off for greatly reduced durability, as the unshielded suit now only offers minor protection from plasma weaponry and ballistic projectiles."
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