Anti-Air Shade Turret (Halo: Reach)

The Anti-Aircraft Shade Turret is one of the many varieties of Shade Turrets. Like its cousins, the anti-vehicle Shade and the anti-infantry Shades, It is manufactured by the Covenant Empire. Found in the missions New Alexandria and Tip of the Spear. They are first seen in the area before you have to penetrate the Spire's shield and are later seen throughout the New Alexandria skyline. They are deployed by Phantoms to attack ONI HQ and prevent the escape of the waiting Pelicans. You are required to destroy them, either the Falcon or Banshee, if you can jack one, will work, to allow the Pelicans to escape. There are six Anti-Aircraft Turrets around the ONI tower for you to destroy.

The Anti-Aircraft Turrets are operated by one person. You cannot land and try to use one, because they have a strong shield built in. It fires four to five plasma bolts at once, so it is difficult to maneuver out of their way, even in the nimble Falcon. They can resist up to five or six rounds from the Falcon's main cannon, or 3 rounds of the Banshee's "Banshee Bombs". Unlike the short range Shade, this turret's plasma bolts will explode at a certain range, are slower, and pack more of a punch than the regular bolts.

Trivia

 * This weapon shares its color scheme with the anti-infantry Shade and its shape with the anti-vehicle Shade.
 * This is the only Covenant anti-air weapon seen so far to use plasma. Others such as the Heavy Needler and Fuel Rod Cannon use projectiles.