M9 Wolverine MAAT
The Wolverine Main Anti-Aircraft Tank (official designation: M9 Wolverine) is somewhat of an enigma within the UNSC in that it is not used as a “tank” in the standard hard-hitting, hard-armored tradition. Its classification is based chiefly on the vehicle’s historical development alongside the Main Battle Tanks currently employed by the UNSC—but only with regard to its general architecture and framework. When reviewing the actual arsenal employed by the Wolverine, one can quickly see why such a classification is vestigial, though relevant on the battlefields on which it is deployed.
Central to the Wolverine’s arsenal is the MLRS or Multiple Launch Rocket System, which has seen many different forms of military use since the mid-to-late-20th century. Birthed from the antiquated GSRS (General Support Rocket System), this technology was created through a joint effort among a variety of nations across Earth. With regard to the Wolverine, its multiple-pod implementation can fire a bevy of Argent V missiles toward enemy aircraft—an incredibly powerful and effective force when used strategically and en masse.
Ancillary to the twin pods, the M9 Wolverine has incorporated a dorsal-mounted pivoting XM511 grenade launcher. While nowhere near as potent as an MBT’s cannon, this weapon supports its primarily anti-air Argent component by clearing the ground of infantry and heavy armor in areas where Scorpions or Grizzlies have not been deployed. In moments of desperation, some Wolverine commanders have even turned their anti-air missiles groundward as makeshift, but devastating, close-range artillery.
Over the years, the Wolverine has consistently proven itself in combat—particularly during the war with the Covenant, where mobility and heavy firepower was a significant requirement.
