Project HAYABUSA



Project: HAYABUSA was a UNSC project similar to Project: MJOLNIR.

Background
While it had different aims than its rival project, MJOLNIR, both programs resulted in powerful battle armor that boasted energy shields. The HAYABUSA's project was to develop self-contained power armor, and the project eventually culminated in the development of the Hayabusa Armor, which was developed by RKD on Earth in 2536 and apparently accepted by the UNSC Ordnance Committee.

The Hayabusa Armor's advanced materials decreased its weighty bulk by one-third and aesthetically is Japanese in design, with a Samurai-like design and spiked shoulder pauldrons (commonly referred to as s'ode' for the shoulder armor, and kabuto'' for the helmet in more correct terminology for Japanese armor of the era). ''The most likely reason for the aesthetic features of the armor might be to inspire fear to enemy soldiers. It was available for use by the SPARTAN-II supersoldiers, although its field deployment appeared to be limited.

Trivia

 * The Armor has been nicknamed 'Ninja' armor by many, which is ironic, however, as it in fact resembles the armor of Samurai, the dreaded enemies of Ninjas.
 * Hayabusa is Japanese for "peregrine falcon," and is also the name for an unmanned space mission conducted by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency set to return to Earth in 2010.
 * Project HAYABUSA may have been the Japanese counterpart to Reach's and Doctor Catherine Halsey's Project MJOLNIR.
 * HAYABUSA is one of the most Photogenic Helmets in many screenshots.
 * You can unlock the full set of Hayabusa armor by collecting all 13 skulls in Halo 3
 * The armor was in fact created by the Team Ninja themselves in return for their use in DOA 4 of Nicole.