HK-Aerial

From Terminator Wiki

HK-Aerial refers to a wide variety of Skynet's large airborne VTOL-capable Hunter-Killers. Derived from the original HK-Drone, it retains the form and maneuver system but on a much larger scale. With wingspans of up to 108ft^[1] and a devastating array of underslung and wing mounted lasers, missiles, and plasma cannons, the HK-Aerial is fearsome and terrifying to behold. Often operating in support of ground sweeps by swarms of Series 800 and Series 850 endoskeletons, they are one of the more dangerous targets for the members of the Resistance to engage.

HK-Aerials can be brought down by shoulder fired surface to air missiles. ^[2]

Contents 1 Variants 2 Notes 3 Appearances 4 References

Variants

The HK-Aerial has been deployed in many configurations by both Skynet and the Soviet Artificial Intelligence MIR. There are light raiders seen patrolling the watelands of the Future War^[3][4], massive and heavily armed ground support craft^[5], as well as troop transport variants ^[6] which on occasion have been captured and subverted for use by the Resistance ^[7][8]. Continually engineering upgrades to the original design, a smaller, more agile air unit is available in a sleeker, more organic design with the HK-VTOL, ^[9] a unit powerful enough to carry a Boeing 747 jet engine in a cargo sling.

Notes

• The HK was the very first Skynet unit seen, appearing in the opening moments of the first film of the series.
• The HK was redesigned for both Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Terminator Salvation, which may indicate that over the course of the future war, the HK aerial went through various phases of upgradement.
• In Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles the HK-Aerial appears to have been developed from a type of drone aircraft built using reverse-engineered future technology.

Appearances

Movies

• The Terminator
• Terminator 2: Judgment Day
• Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
• Terminator: Salvation

Comic Books

• The Terminator: Hunters and Killers
• The Terminator: The Dark Years

Games

• The Terminator: Future Shock
• The Terminator: Skynet
• Terminator 3: War of the Machines
• Terminator: Salvation

References

1. ↑ Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines DVD Extras
2. ↑ Future War scenes in The Terminator and/or Terminator 2: Judgment Day
3. ↑ The Terminator
4. ↑ Terminator 2: Judgment Day
5. ↑ Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
6. ↑ The Terminator: Hunters and Killers
7. ↑ The Terminator: Future Shock
8. ↑ The Terminator: Skynet
9. ↑ Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, "Dungeons & Dragons" Season 1 DVD Commentary