The Hunter is a scout JumpShip, designed to seek out enemy fleets and explore new star systems. Developed by Clan Ghost Bear shortly after the founding of the Clans, the small vessel has a weak jump signature, which makes it ideal for reconnaissance work. Hunters are often the first vessels to enter a potentially hostile star system. Once the vessel has entered, its crew can communicate with their main fleet by using the Hunter's HPG.
         The Hunters were originally constructed without lithium-fusion batteries, which seriously impaired their usefulness. But by the mid 30th century, most Hunters had been fitted with the advanced system, although the modification reduces a Hunter's cargo capacity. Since 3080, most Hunters have been refitted with modern jump cores, and these vessels have impressive cargo capacity. A few unmodified Hunters remain, most serving in backwaters that don't need a modern JumpShip.
         The Hunter lacks a grav deck and must rely on the acceleration method to provide the crew with artificial gravity. Without this gravity maneuvering, the health and morale of the crew rapidly deteriorate, and so most Hunter captains consider the fuel expended during the procedure worth the benefits.
         The Hunter is lightly armed compared to other Clan designed JumpShips. The ship mounts a handful of pulse lasers and Streak SRM systems and a single anti-missile system that enables the Hunter to engage and destroy missiles. However, the system's placement in the Hunter's nose prohibits it from protecting the engineering module and the Kearny-Fuchida drive from missile fire.
         No known dedicated yards remain to build this ship. Best used as a scout or a small merchant carrier, war frigates do the first job better and most Clan leaderships care little for the second job. Only the Sea Foxes appear to build new Hunters, presumably from the same secret factories where they build their smaller frigates. Most of their trading fleets use a fair number of these cheap ships, and they do of course sell the design to others. Due to this, Hunters are a common merchant ship in the Human Sphere, if not as common as Merchants and Invaders. They are also seen in the navies of smaller Successor States that want the prestige of having armed jump-capable vessels but can't afford a true war frigate.