The N-CN9 "Blackbox" Military Operator is a weaponized operator encountered in Talos I in Prey. It can also be found in Prey: Mooncrash, re-branded Security Operator.

Overview

Military Operators are top-secret offensive Operators developed in the Beams & Waves Lab of Talos I. It fires long-range energy beams as well as keeping the same spatial mobility as regular operators.

Military Operators can be hacked. However Hacking is requires Hacking IV, whereas other Operators only require Hacking II.

Active military operators usually begin appearing during the later story mission The Keys to the Kingdom. However, one has been encountered in the area around the bottom of the grav shafts to/from Alex Yu's office in the arboretum before Dahl makes his presence aboard the station known.

Description

Prey

EXCERPT FROM TRANSTAR OPERATOR BROCHURE:
The N-CN9 Blackbox Military Operator is the world's most advanced unmanned multi-role fighter. Armed with a state-of-the-art MAG-directed energy weapon and an OMNI navigation systems, the Military Operator is never short on firepower. From assault operations to security detail, the innovative Synthetic Hyperdynamic Neural Network ensures the Military Operator is quick to respond to developing and dangerous situations.

Morgan's Notes:
TranStar's been covering their tracks about these. Don't want to look like an arms-tech company. They're probably wired into Talos I's security system. Could track me using the station's security rosters. Might be a way to get rid of my tracking bracelet.

Mooncrash

EXCERPT FROM TRANSTAR OPERATOR BROCHURE:
The [REDACTED] Security Operator is the world's most advanced unmanned multi-role fighter. Armed with a state-of-the-art [REDACTED] and OMNI navigation systems, the Security Operator is never short on firepower. From assault operations to security detail, the innovative Synthetic Hyperdynamic Neural Network ensures the Security Operator is quick to respond to developing and dangerous situations.

ADDENDUM:
Rewrite this into a more PR friendly spiel before they go on the market. We can still deploy them on TranStar bases in the meantime.
- A. Yu

PETER'S NOTES:
Pretty sure I've seen these in KASMA reports. Some kind of automated military fighter. I guess TranStar was in the middle of trying to rebrand them into a more "friendly" role.

Trivia

• On Talos I Military Operators are always hostile, except when hacked. One notable exception occurs if the player allies themselves with Dahl: near the shuttle bay at the end of the quest, all Military Operators in the area will be friendly until Dahl turns on the player.
• Military Operators are armored, and capable of resisting more punishment than the standard Operator. They are most resistant to bullets also require much more GLOO to subdue than other Operators, though they are weak against electricity. However, unlike Corrupted Operators, Military Operators can become broken, so they can be defeated without needing to deplete their health fully.
• Until Kaspar is shut down and Dahl is taken down (dead or alive), the Operator Dispensers throughout the station will continually churn out more hostile Military Operators as long as none they have deployed are repairable. After both are dealt with, they don't appear anymore. Only a limited number of Operators can be present in a particular space, however. This can be exploited in two ways:
  • If the player hacks all of the Operators in an area without destroying them, the Operator Dispensers will cease production until one or more are destroyed. This can, if used in certain areas, enable the player to effectively dominate the entire area, since Military Operator laser weapons have excellent range, and an enemy which spawns into a spot the player has filled with hacked Operators will be besieged by multiple mobile sources of energy damage.
  • More simply, if a Military Operator is reduced to around 5-10% health, it becomes 'Broken' (not 'Destroyed'). Unlike Destroyed Operators, Broken Operators will not be automatically replaced by the Dispensers. Try hitting the Operators with the Disruptor and then striking them with the wrench until they are below 10% health to neutralize an area.
• Military Operators use a laser weapon similar to the Q-Beam.
• All Military Operators use military jargon when speaking.
• If a Military Operator becomes corrupted, it will no longer be able to attack with its laser for some strange reason, making them less dangerous, especially at a distance. They will instead try to kamikaze attack Morgan by rushing at him/her and blow themselves up. Corrupted Military Operators speak in a more corrupted and morbid tone.
• To hack this Operator, you will require Hacking IV. If in combat, you must stun it the GLOO Cannon or EMP Charge. The Disruptor Stun Gun and the Electrostatic Burst power work too, but they will also deal damage to the Operator. Once immobilized, initiate the hacking minigame. You will typically need much more GLOO to successfully immobilize a Military Operator.
• With good timing, it is possible to hack a Military Operator as it is coming out of the Operator Dispenser, especially from its back for much more timing.

Gallery

Military Operator blueprint

Concept art