Jade Hawk

Manufactured both by the Clans and the Inner Sphere, the Jade Hawk is nominally one of a new series of Clan Jade Falcon totem BattleMechs.

Developed at the urging of then-Galaxy Commander Malvina Hazen, the Jade Hawk was indicative of the Jade Falcons' attempt to create several new totemMechs to revitalize their Clan and displays birdlike talons on its arms and legs, wings that serve both an aesthetic purpose and aid in heat dissipation. While intended to be exclusive to the Falcons, a disgruntled tech who despised now-Khan Hazen's "Mongol" philosophy, defected to Clan Sea Fox with a copy of the plans, sharing them on the stipulation that it not be made to the Clans. To this end the Sea Foxes reached an agreement with Galatea-based Dynamic Ordnance and Ammunition Corp, supplying the plans and contracts for Clan-spec components to make its manufacture possible for sale on the mercenary market.

The DOA-manufactured Jade Hawk devotes considerable mass to its 375 XL Engine and thirteen and half tons of armor plate, making it extremely fast for its size and carrying the maximum armor its frame can support, only enhanced by the inclusion of a supercharger. DOA also added an Inner Sphere touch by the inclusion of a pair of fearsome Claws and Triple Strength Myomers, enhancing the Jade Hawk's physical combat abilities and boosting its speed in heavy combat yet further.

Weapons and Equipment
Relatively lightly armed for a heavy BattleMech, the Jade Hawk is equipped only with four Series 1g ER Small Lasers and a set of four Mk. 22 Type III SRM-6s, as well as the claws on its extremities, themselves impressive close combat weapons for Death from Above attacks and grappling with other 'Mechs in close combat conditions. This combination of melee and short ranged weaponry, heavy armor, and speed (rivaling 'Mechs a third of its tonnage) make the Jade Hawk a powerful close-in fighter and a force to be reckoned with in urban environments.

Variants

 * JHK-04 : DOA's support model, JHK-04 drops the jump jets, partial wing, advanced myomers and supercharger in exchange for a pair of torso-mounted Streak LRM-15 launchers imported from the Sea Foxes. Three tons of reloads allow the pilot a decent combat radius, while the addition of IS-spec Heavy Duty Gyro and switch to Ferro-Fibrous armor offers a modest boost in protection. BV (2.0) = 2,102


 * Jade Hawk : Clan Jade Falcon's version of the Jade Hawk is purely Clan-spec and lacks the advanced myomers and claws of the DOA JHK-03 model, carrying four Streak SRM-6 launchers instead of the standard models and mounting a Light Active Probe in its head. Four tons of ammo give the design excellent endurance despite the large number of launchers, while the addition of Ferro-Fibrous plating increases it protection. BV (2.0) = 2,523


 * Jade Hawk 2 : The second Clan Jade Falcon model trades mobility for raw firepower, removing the jump-jets, wing and supercharger to upgrade two of its arm-mounted lasers to ER Large Lasers and its four SRM launchers to ATM-6s, mounting an additional ER Small Laser as well. Carrying four tons of reloads, generally two tons of standard ATM missiles and one each of Extended Range and High Explosive give it reasonable field endurance. BV (2.0) = 2,455


 * Jade Hawk 3 : The final Clan version is based off the Jade Hawk 2, dropping the Ferro-Fibrous plating and shaving the armor levels to restore the standard Jade Hawks jump-jets and upgrade two of the arm-mounted lasers to Medium Pulse versions instead of the ER Large models. BV (2.0) = 2,498


 * LB-X5 - It is rumored that a variant exists that replaces the standard SRM-6s with an Advanced Tactical Missile System and an LB-X Autocannon/5.

Design Quirks
The Jade Hawk is subject to the following Design Quirks:
 * Distracting
 * Non-Standard Parts
 * Reinforced Legs