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| {{Status|Canon}} | | {{Era|UNSC|HCW}} |
| {{Status|Canon}} | | <center>''Were you looking for the [[AAA Helix gun]]?''</center> |
| [[File:Origins - Defensive Measure.png|300px|thumb|A {{Class|Halcyon|light cruiser}} firing its point-defence loadout upon inbound [[Covenant]] boarding craft.{{Ref/Film|HLeg|Story=Origins}}]] | | {{Weapon |
| '''Point-defense weapons''' are a classification of weaponry used on [[Warship|military spacecraft]], and occasionally on ground installations. They serve as a primarily defensive tool for the spacecraft in question, and are designed for shooting down incoming projectiles (such as debris or [[missile]]s) and [[Space fighter|strikecraft]]. They may be used in a limited role for engaging enemy warships, though their smaller scale means they are less effective in this role than larger, more dedicated heavy weapons. | | |image=[[File:Halo3-PointDefenseGun.png|300px]] |
| | |name=Point-defense gun |
| | |manufacturer= |
| | |model= |
| | |type=Close-in weapon system |
| | |cost= |
| | |size= |
| | |damage per hit= |
| | |magazine= |
| | |maxammo= |
| | |fire= |
| | |ammotype= Varies; typically 50mm high-explosive |
| | |operation= Magnetic linear accelerator (MLA)<ref name="ENC"/> |
| | |rate of fire= |
| | |accuracy= |
| | |range= |
| | |service=26th Century<ref name="Everest">'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''', "[[The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole]]", ''page 475''</ref> |
| | |counterpart=[[Pulse laser turret|Covenant pulse laser turret]] |
| | |counterwep= |
| | |affiliation=[[UNSC]] |
| | }} |
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| Point-defence weaponry is found on both [[human starship]]s and [[Covenant starship]]s, and serve in broadly the same roles - though with vastly different operating principles.
| | A '''point-defense gun''' is a type of [[United Nations Space Command]] starship-mounted magnetic accelerator weapon.<ref name="ENC">'''Halo Encyclopedia''', ''page 315'' (2011)</ref> Though several models exist, the most common type of point-defense gun fires 50mm high-explosive projectiles.<ref name="Flood215">'''Halo: The Flood''', ''page 215''</ref> |
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| ==Human point-defense== | | ==Design details== |
| For [[human]]ity, the vast majority of point-defence weapons are Magnetic Linear Accelerators (MLAs){{Ref/Book|Id=Enc11|Enc11|Page=315}} - typically [[coilgun]]s - firing fully-automatic streams of high-velocity projectiles at inbound targets.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Human}} They are generally mounted on [[Human starship|warships]] of the [[UNSC Navy]] and [[CMA Navy]] in vast "'''point-defense networks'''"{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Human}} consisting of dozens of individual guns spread across the ship with overlapping fields of fire to cover all potential approach vectors. An exception to this is fittings alongside a ship's [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]] system; the constant magnetic bursts of the coilguns may interfere with a MAC and risk the ship's operation in combat.{{Ref/Reuse|FOR29}}
| | ===Functionality=== |
| | The point-defense gun fills a role similar to the [[wikipedia:CIWS|CIWS]] designs created during the 20th century. Based around [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|magnetic linear accelerator]] technology,<ref name="c137">'''Halo: The Flood''', ''page 137''</ref><ref name="ENC"/> it fires 50mm projectiles. Unlike [[Archer missile]]s and the [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|MAC]] weapon systems mounted on capital ships, the point-defense guns are not used to engage Covenant capital ships. They are instead meant to intercept smaller threats like [[Seraph]] fighters<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 272''</ref> or [[Covenant boarding craft|boarding craft]] to prevent (or at least lessen) the damage inflicted to a warship. |
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| These weapons are fully-automated due to requiring reaction times faster than those capable of any human, instead controlled by a [[Human starship|starship]]'s given controlling [[artificial intelligence]] [[ship director]]. The automated systems calculate firing solutions in the heat of battle and are able to rapidly reorient the guns to fire at newly-acquired targets.{{Ref/Book|Id=WF19|HWF|Page=18-19}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22Human|Enc22|Section=Human Spaceships|Page=111-133}} Without an AI to control point-defence systems, a ship is as good as defenceless against inbound threats{{Ref/Novel|Id=FOR21|HTFoR|Chapter=21}} - though manual control may be surrendered to a human operator if absolutely necessary.{{Ref/Level|HFR|Escape (Halo: Fireteam Raven level)|Escape}} In extremely special cases such as that of {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} in [[Operation: RED FLAG]], a vessel may even equip a secondary backup AI solely to handle point-defence, with the primary smart AI freed up for other more specialised tasks.{{Ref/Novel|Id=FOR29|HTFoR|Chapter=29}}
| | Because [[human]] operators lack the reflexive responses necessary to operate the point-defense guns to maximum effect, the autocannons are computer controlled and, if an AI is available, control is diverted to it. [[Smart artificial intelligence|"Smart" AIs]] seem better able to operate the point-defense guns than standard computers and also lesser [[Dumb artificial intelligence|"dumb" AIs]].<ref name="nav">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 19''</ref> |
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| Exceptions to the MLA paradigm include the Scythe series of [[Wikipedia:Close-in weapon system|close-in weapon systems]] (particularly the [[M71 Scythe]] used for defending ground bases) and the [[Streak missile]] - a series of small, mass-deployed missiles which can be used to track down and intercept inbound munitions. Some more recent additions to the fleet of the [[UNSC Navy]] have additionally begun to experiment with the integration of [[laser]] point-defence systems - particularly the {{Class|Winter|prowler}} and {{Class|Anlace|light frigate}}.
| | ===Operational history=== |
| | Point-defense guns have been standard armament on UNSC vessels since the [[Insurrection]], a common model being the [[AAA Helix gun]]. Later, {{Class|Halcyon|cruiser}}s used a dual-barreled point-defense weapon system designated as the [[M910 PDN]].<ref>[http://halo.xbox.com/Content/assets/en-us/ONI/577839090903298928/DDR-A340024-1115-08-27-52.pdf Data Drop 5]</ref> |
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| ===List of human point-defense weapons===
| | During the human occupation of [[Installation 04]], the [[ODSTs]] that recaptured and secured the wreckage of the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} from the [[Covenant]] managed to scavenge several of the ship's 50mm turrets.<ref name="c137"/> The ODSTs utilized the scavenged defense weapons and used them as anti-air defensive emplacements at [[Alpha Base (Installation 04)|Alpha Base]]. |
| {{Col-begin}}
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| {{Col-2}}
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| ;Magnetic Linear Accelerators
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| *[[Mark 57 Arena point defense gun|Mark 57 Arena]]
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| *[[M710 Bulwark point defense gun|M710 Bulwark]]
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| *[[M965 Fortress point defense network|M965 Fortress]]
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| *[[M606 Goalkeeper point defense gun|M606 Goalkeeper]]
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| *[[Rampart point defense gun|Rampart]]
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| **[[M800 Rampart point defense gun|M800 Rampart]]
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| **[[M870 Rampart point defense gun|M870 Rampart]]
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| **[[M910 Rampart point defense network|M910 Rampart]]
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| ;Conventional ballistic weapons
| | ==Known types== |
| *Scythe
| | *[[AAA Helix gun]] – Used on {{Class|Valiant|super-heavy cruiser}}s. |
| **[[M71 Scythe]]
| | *[[M870 Rampart point defense gun]] – Used on {{Class|Charon|light frigate}}s, {{Class|Stalwart|light frigate}}s, and {{Class|Strident|heavy frigate}}s. |
| **[[M85 Scythe]]
| | *[[M910 point defense network]] – Used on {{Class|Paris|heavy frigate}}s and {{Class|Autumn|heavy cruiser}}s. |
| *[[M810 Helix point defense gun|M810 Helix]] | | *[[M965 Fortress point defense network]] – Used on {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}. |
| {{Col-2}} | |
| ;Missiles
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| *Ship-launched
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| **[[Streak missile]] {{C|M340A4 and M390 Streak-II}}
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| *Surface-to-air
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| **[[Anaconda surface-to-air missile|Anaconda]]
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| **[[M260 Multiple Launch Rocket System|M260 MLRS]]
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| **Lance
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| ***[[M95 Lance]]
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| ***[[M97 Lance]]
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| **[[Surface-to-air missile launcher]] (unidentified)
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| ;Energy weapons
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| *[[AN/SEQ-11 point-defense laser array]]
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| *[[M995 Backstop point defense laser]]
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| {{Col-end}}
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| ==Covenant point-defense==
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| The point-defence systems used by the [[Covenant starship|military spacecraft]] of the [[Covenant]] and its [[Covenant remnants|splinters]] differ greatly from their human counterparts. Rather than firing projectiles to intercept inbound threats, they instead operate as [[directed-energy weapon]]s of various kinds - using [[plasma]] and [[laser]]s to destroy their targets.{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22Covenant|Enc22|Section=Covenant Spaceships|Page=260-271}}
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| Covenant point-defence weapons can be broadly classed into two weapon classes; [[plasma beam laser]]s and [[pulse laser turret]]s. While broadly similar in principle, they have significant operational differences; a plasma beam laser is fires a continuous beam of [[plasma]] at its targets, able to pick out and destroy dozens of targets in short order. By comparison, a pulse laser has a relatively low rate-of-fire and fires in multiple repeated bursts to accurately pick off inbound targets - though repeated strikes on the same area can also be used to breach the exterior hulls of enemy warships if needed.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Covenant}}
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| Outside of the aforementioned examples, the Covenant may use rapid-fire [[plasma cannon]]s in a role comparable to human MLAs for defending ground installations; the twin rapid-fire heavy plasma cannons of the {{Pattern|Upisa'weri|Shrike}} or the rapid-fire explosive plasma bolts of the anti-air variants of the {{Pattern|Preksheda|Shade}} and {{Pattern|Bmur'resh|Shade}} turrets can be used in a CIWS role to great effect against enemy aircraft.
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| ==Gallery== | | ==Gallery== |
| <gallery> | | <gallery> |
| File:HTMCC-H3 FuD M870Rampart 2.png|A close-up of an M870 Rampart on the ''Charon''-class light frigate in ''Halo 3''.
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| File:Origins - Defensive Measure.png|A [[Halcyon-class cruiser]] defending itself from Covenant boarding craft using its point defense guns.
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| File:Reach 3893592 Full-crop.jpg|A close-up of one of the ''Pillar of Autumn''{{'}}s point-defense guns in ''Halo: Reach''.
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| File:Point Defence Gun.jpg|A close-up of a point-defense gun. | | File:Point Defence Gun.jpg|A close-up of a point-defense gun. |
| | File:Reach 3893592 Full-crop.jpg|A close-up of one of the ''Pillar of Autumn'''s point-defense guns in ''Halo: Reach''. |
| | File:Origins - Defensive Measure.png|A [[Halcyon-class cruiser]] defending itself from the Covenant boarding crafts using its point defense guns. |
| File:Reach 9060575 Full.jpg|Shot of the UNSC ''Savannah'''s point defense gun arrays. | | File:Reach 9060575 Full.jpg|Shot of the UNSC ''Savannah'''s point defense gun arrays. |
| File:Reach 3003793 Full.jpg|The UNSC ''Savannah'''s point defense guns firing on the [[Covenant]] [[Ceudar-pattern heavy corvette|corvette]] ''[[Ardent Prayer]]''. | | File:Reach 3003793 Full.jpg|The UNSC ''Savannah'''s point defense guns firing on the [[Covenant]] [[SDV-class heavy corvette|corvette]] ''[[Ardent Prayer]]'' |
| File:Point guns firing.jpg|Close-up of a UNSC frigate's point defense guns firing. | | File:Point guns firing.jpg|Close-up of a UNSC frigate's point defense guns firing. |
| File:UNSC Savannah Firing.jpg|The {{UNSCShip|Savannah}} using its point-defense guns against the ''Ardent Prayer'' in [[Operation: UPPER CUT]]. | | File:UNSC Savannah Firing.jpg|The {{UNSCShip|Savannah}} using its point-defense guns against the ''Ardent Prayer'' in [[Operation: UPPER CUT]]. |
| File:HINF Reverie M870Rampart 2.png|A close-up of an M870 Rampart on the ''Mulsanne''-class light frigate in ''Halo Infinite''.
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| </gallery> | | </gallery> |
| {{Linkbox|gallery=yes|gallerypage=Images of point-defense guns}} | | {{Linkbox|gallery=yes|gallerypage=Images of point-defense guns}} |
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| ==List of appearances== | | ==List of appearances== |
| *''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}} | | *''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}} |
| *''[[Halo: The Flood]]'' | | *''[[Halo: The Flood]]'' |
| *''[[Halo 2]]''
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| *''[[Halo 3]]'' | | *''[[Halo 3]]'' |
| *''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'' | | *''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'' |
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| *''[[Halo 4]]'' | | *''[[Halo 4]]'' |
| **''[[Spartan Ops]]'' | | **''[[Spartan Ops]]'' |
| *''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''
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| *''[[Halo: Fractures]]''
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| **''[[Breaking Strain]]''
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| *''[[Halo: Envoy]]'' {{Mo}}
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| *''[[Halo: Fireteam Raven]]''
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| *''[[Halo Infinite]]''
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| *''[[Halo: The Rubicon Protocol]]''
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| ==Sources== | | ==Sources== |
| {{Ref/Sources}}
| | <references/> |
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| {{UNSC heavy weapons}} | | {{UNSC heavy weapons}} |
