Type-52 Anti-Aircraft Artillery

The Type-52 Anti-Aircraft Artillery (Type-52 AAA), often referred to as the Anti-Air Wraith,Halo 3: The Official Guide, page 63 is a specialized anti-aircraft variant of the Wraith.
==Design==
While the standard Type-26 model is equipped with a plasma mortar, which is used mainly against slow-moving ground targets, the Type-52 model is equipped with two rapid fire, double barreled Fuel Rod Cannons, as its main armament. These cannons fire special Class-3 Fuel Rods, which have much greater range than the normal Class-2 rounds fired by other cannons and are capable of tracking an aircraft's heat signature. They are highly effective against nearby air targets as well as ground targets. The Type-52 shares the Type-26's secondary plasma turret, a non-detachable stationary plasma cannon emplacement fixed at the midsection of the vehicle that is optionally manned for defense against medium to close-range ground targets and to prevent boarding actions. It should be noted that the plasma bolts fired by the AA-Wraith can explode midair, creating a cloud of deadly plasma, resembling the clouds of shrapnel produced by modern-day flak guns' bursting rounds.
The double sets of Fuel Rod Cannons are devastating to both airborne or ground forces, with dozens of shots put out in rapid succession; Laying waste to any enemy force, land or air, including low flying Longsword fighter-bombers, even though they have heavier armor than the Pelican dropship. Despite its substantial armament, the Covenant dedicates their Anti-Air Wraiths solely to AA duty; Almost exclusively for destroying and harassing air vehicles and such instances are rare.
The Type-52 is also distinguished from the Type-26 by its red crimson color scheme instead of the standard Wraith's blue-purple armor color. Upon the driver's exiting the AA Wraith, its double flak cannons fold inward and contract into the body of the vehicle, much like a Plasma Mortar. It might even be necessary in order to help reduce drag, stored efficiently or be air-lifted by a Phantom dropship.
In the campaign, like the Fuel Rod Gun and Energy Sword of Halo: Combat Evolved, it has a dead man switch, causing the vehicle to self-destruct whenever the driver dies or exits. Except for a glitch, the AA-Wraith is otherwise inoperable by the player.
==History==
The Type-52 Anti-Aircraft Artillery saw widespread deployment by the Covenant in the occupied Inner Colony worlds of the United Nations Space Command.
A few AA-Wraiths were deployed during the Covenant occupation of New Mombasa. Two were deployed at Kikowani Station to defend the Huragok Recharging Stations. A third was stationed along Waterfront Highway, part of the extensive expanse of defenses there.
Multiple Type-52 vehicles were deployed in the African city of Voi during the Loyalist occupation of Voi in the Battle of Earth. All of them were eventually destroyed in the UNSC counterattack, and the glassing of a small part of Africa.
Several more were deployed against a possible UNSC threat when the Loyalists secured the Forerunner facility known as the Ark, in the levels The Ark and The Covenant.
After the war, the Covenant used numerous AA-Wraiths during the Battle of Draetheus V. These were targeted and destroyed by Spartan-IV and ODST teams.
==Trivia==
*Even though Bungie didn't make the AA Wraith a drivable vehicle in the traditional sense, it is possible to board and ride in one. By exploiting the dead-man switch, the player can take control of AA Wraith. When exiting it, a similar animation to the normal Wraith is shown, the cannons folding together and going down through the hatch. Even though you can still ride the Wraith, the attack power of it is greatly reduced in comparison to an AI-controlled AA Wraith.
**While riding an AA Wraith, it has a different reticle than the normal Wraith and is thus suggestive that Bungie had plans to make the AA Wraith a normal driving vehicle.
**When a player is in the gunner position, there is no reticle.
*After Halo 3 was ported to the PC Edition of the Master Chief Collection, 343 Industries added the AA Wraith to Halo 3's Forge; Unlike the campaign, the dead-man switch was removed, allowing it to be fully operable, and the plasma turret given the crosshair similar to that on the Type-26.
*While the Fuel Rod Cannon's shot is substantially more powerful, the AA Wraith's weaker version is compensated by being fired more rapidly, rendering it superior to its handheld counterpart.
*The Anti-Air Wraith never appears in Halo: Reach or Halo 4.
*The Anti-Air Wraith's human counterpart is the Wolverine.
*In Halo 3: ODST, there is a destroyed AA Wraith that has a turret from a normal Wraith on the back, this is likely a glitch associated with the large number of debris vehicles in the game.
*The Anti-Air Wraith is one of very few Covenant vehicles that can boost and fire at the same time.
*During the Halo 3: ODST campaign level Coastal Highway, the player encounters numerous 'normal' Wraiths, but due to a glitch (intentional or otherwise) it is possible to encounter AA Wraiths. The AA Wraiths can only spawn when the player is very far ahead of the 'Olifant' and as such suggestive to an Easter Egg instead of a glitch.
==Gallery==
File:1216870244 Destroyed.jpg|An Anti-Air Wraith being damaged by a Spartan Laser.
File:1216870392 AAWraith.jpg|An Anti-Air Wraith in Halo 3.
File:Anti-Air Fire.jpg|An Anti-Air Wraith shoots at a Hornet.
File:AAAW H.jpg|An Anti-Air Wraith on The Ark.
File:66868004-Full.jpg|John-117 driving an AA Wraith.
Halo3-WraithAA-transparent.png|A render of an occupied AA Wraith in Halo 3.
AAWHUD.PNG|A player's view when driving the Anti-Air Wraith.
H_sa7.jpg|The Anti-Air Wraith as seen in the Halo: Spartan Assault trailer.
GroundCommand Model AntiAirWraith.jpg|A model of the Anti-Air Wraith as seen in Halo: Ground Command.Halo Waypoint - Blitz Coverage
AA_Wraith_Halo_3_MCC.png|A AA Wraith being operated in Sandbox in MCC's Halo 3 Forge
==Appearances==
*Halo 3 
*Halo 3: ODST
*Halo: Spartan Assault
*Halo: Spartan Strike
*Halo: Ground Command
==Sources==
==Related Pages==
*Wraith
*Drive an AA Wraith
Category:Covenant Vehicles
Category:Drivable Vehicles