ATLATL missile

The smallest missile in the UNSC's inventory, the ATLATL micro-missile was originally conceived as armament for drones too small to carry guns or conventional missiles. Although micro-missile weapons had been prototyped before, the ATLATL is unique in that it is precise enough to guarantee a clean kill even in mixed crowds. It was hoped that such a weapon could minimize collateral damage, particularly when fighting in the crowded environments of the Insurrection. Because of this need, they lacked warheads, instead carrying a kinetic penetrator that packs the same punch as a sniper rifle.

Ultimately, the ATLATL would not see its intended use, as the anticipated PR blowback from armed surveillance drones simply outweighed the benefits. They were instead used in niche cases where it simply wasn't feasible to use a gun, such as protection for VIP limousines or special operations. Specialized shoulder mounts were also available, although few armor sets in the UNSC had the blast-protection rating needed to use them.

There were two varieties of this weapon. The ATLATL-I used a twin-stage system of a high-mobility motor and a terminal rocket motor capable of accelerating the rocket to seven hundred meters per second. The upgraded ATLATL-II replaced both stages with a single hybrid motor. These are a few dozen meters per second faster and considerably safer for the operators, although the terminal effects from the unburned rocket fuel are considerably weaker.

A shoulder-mounted ATLATL micro-missile launcher was produced as part of the development of the ASPIS semi-powered assault armor project for the HOPLITE program. The launcher remains an optional accessory of the ASPIS armor and remains compatible with other UNSC powered armor systems such as MJOLNIR.