: See, this is what I'm getting stuck on. It's big, it's showy, it's completely
: impractical, and I'm at a loss for why the UNSC would deploy it.

: And really, it looks like it functions identically to the Ghost, maybe with
: the Chopper's guns. I'm getting real tired of duplicates in Halo's
: arsenal, and I don't see why the UNSC should have a Ghost equivalent. If a
: heavier-hitting Ghost is desirable, why not a Ghost variant with
: concussion rifles in place of plasma cannons?

Reverse engineering and improving upon the Ghost would be the best option. It wouldn't be reliant upon exposed lift fans for hovering and it would likely be much faster and have a smaller, narrower frame. Instead of the plasma cannons, I'd use the flak cannons(?) mounted aboard the Pelican gunship. I mean, how hard can it be? They reverse engineer Huge Forerunner and Covenant systems aboard starships all the time. This should be pretty simple.