MQ-71 Switchblade

The is a UNSC drone fighter.

Description
Small and low observable, the Switchblade is a nimble drone used by the UNSC. Very rarely deployed under it's own power, the Switchblade is most often deployed as a parasite craft from larger aircraft, providing increased fire power in an assault. Used by attack craft and bombers, or large transports to protect them in the event of attack.

Simply made, much of their technology is scaled down from larger aircraft, and as a result it packs all the speed and agility of a fighter, at the cost of range and payload. It carries a single internal bay, capable of carrying two air to air missiles, and a laser weapon capable of cutting a wing from an aircraft. Deploying from it's mother ship, it expends ammunition until the threat is gone or recall is ordered, and either returns to the nearest airfield, or if not feasible it docks back onto it's mother ship.

Due to the love pilots have for these little drones, especially in contested skies, the common term is to 'pull a switchblade' on a hostile.