The first Star League witnessed advances in science and technology unparalleled at any other time in history. This was in part fueled by nightmares that plagued First Lord Jonathan Cameron. Obsessed with preventing the destruction of the League and the fall of Terra, the First Lord launched an ambitious program to build up the Terran Hegemony's defenses.
         Although commercial exoskeletons had been in use since the development of myomer technology, they had never been successful in a combat role. It took some of the best engineers in the Hegemony (backed by generous funding) fifteen torturous years to perfect the concept. After totally reworking their prototype twenty times, the SLDF High Command was presented with the Mk. XXI Nighthawk in 2718.
         Attempts to develop a combat-orientated version for deployment in SLDF Royal Divisions produced the Mk. XXII, but the Amaris Coup and the fall of the Star League prevented that version entering full production. With the outbreak of the Succession Wars both versions were all but lost. ComStar retained a few Mk. XXIs, uncovered when Jerome Blake took control of Terra. Attempts to duplicate the design produced the inferior Tornado PA(L). More recently, the Grey Death Legion discovered several Nighthawk suits on Karbala, but most of these suits were later turned over to the NAIS for study.
         With the lessons learned from the development of the Achileus and Purifier, the Word of Blake finally overcame the technical challenges of duplicating the suit in 3065. ComStar quickly followed suit, establishing a modest manufacturing plant on Tukayyid.

         Tests proved that a Nighthawk-equipped trooper possessed mobility and protection that would remain unparalleled until the advent of BattleArmor. Sophisticated ECM and Stealth capabilities made the design ideal for reconnaissance and covert missions. Though vulnerable to heavy weapons, protection against small arms fire was excellent. Armored gloves allowed the use of standard weapons (often the Mauser 960 Assault System) and equipment with no loss of dexterity-a highly useful feature, as the Nighthawk lacks integral weapons.

         In 2720, the suit entered service with the Special Forces Command, who equipped their elite Special Armed Services troops (the Blackhearts) with the Nighthawk. The deployment was never acknowledged publicly, and the men and women of the SAS were so skilled that all the other Star League Member States ever heard were vague rumors of some kind of advanced sneak suit.
         The Word of Blake used the design during the Jihad, where they became feared in the hands of their elite forces. In the present day only ComStar and the New SLDF deploy large numbers of this suit, though small numbers of them can be found throughout the Human Sphere in private hands, most after going through Proserpina.
         Interestingly, the Umayyid used a number of the Nighthawks in their invasion of Nueva Castile, and they have recently begun the process of building new ones. Where they obtained the ability to do so is unknown even to ComStar.