Wik-pattern light destroyer

Wik-pattern light destroyer
Production information
Manufacturer:	Covenant
Class:	Destroyer
Role:	Glassing operations Ship-to-ship warfare Ground assault Planetary occupation
Technical specifications
Length:	1,500 meters (4,900 ft)
Width:	1,217 meters (3,990 ft)
Mass:	99.7 million tonnes
Engine(s):	Repulsor engines
Slipspace drive:	Equipped
Hull:	Nanolaminate hull plating Equipped with energy shielding
Armament:	1 Infernus-pattern superheavy excavation beam 2 Aljordan-pattern plasma beam emitters 24 Melusean-pattern heavy plasma cannons 6 Jaet-pattern plasma torpedo silos 40 Carnax Et-pattern plasma bombardment mortars 20 Gon-pattern pulse lasers
Complement:	Numerous ground forces Several dropships and support aircraft Several Type-31 Seraphs
Chronological and affiliation
Era:	Human-Covenant War Great Schism Post-Covenant War conflicts
Affiliation:	Covenant Rojka 'Kasaan's faction Thars 'Sarov's faction

The Wik-pattern light destroyer (UNSC three-letter classification: RPV-class light destroyer) is one of several destroyer-class warships in service with the now-defunct Covenant fleet. Such vessels are usually sent in advance of invasions and are used for escort on reconnaissance missions. Heavily armed, vessels of the RPV class are effective in ship-to-ship engagements and are tasked with pursing fleeing ships. They are also used as fleet escorts, protecting larger, more important ships from attack.

Overview

Design details

The RPV-class destroyer features a sleek, amphibious design with sweeping contours and perfect symmetry. It possesses three bulbous protrusions, similar to those of larger Covenant ships, giving the impression of similar lethality. The RPV is capable of carrying a great number of ground forces, dropships, and support craft, as well as several Type-31 Seraph fighters. The "R", or Reverence, in the destroyer's three-letter classification code, "RPV", denotes that the destroyer is capable of conducting reconnaissance missions and is capable of excavating Forerunner artifacts.

Armament

The vessel's primary weapon is a single ventral cleansing beam, which is capable of devastating even large human vessels. It is also armed with several ventrally mounted pulse laser turrets, which can be used to provide pinpoint firepower and can destroy inbound missiles. Two plasma torpedo turrets are mounted at the fore of the vessel.

Operational history

On July 17, 2552, an RPV-class light destroyer, along with two frigates and a carrier, arrived at Sigma Octanus IV. In the brief skirmish that followed, Commander Jacob Keyes, the commanding officer of the UNSC destroyer Iroquois, overcame the small enemy task force with an inventive tactic: ultimately, he tricked the Covenant vessels into firing on themselves. The destroyer and the frigates were both destroyed and the carrier was forced to retreat. Several RPV-class destroyers were used during the Great Schism.

In September 2558, four light destroyers were a part of Thars 'Sarov's faction at the opening of the Carrow Conflict. However, the ships of Rojka 'Kasaan's faction managed to destroy them along with two Sinaris-pattern heavy destroyers and a Covenant frigate before the intervention of a Jiralhanae faction led by Hekabe turned the tide of the battle against them.

List of appearances

• Halo: The Fall of Reach (First appearance)
• Halo: First Strike
• Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
• Halo: The Cole Protocol (Mentioned only)
• Halo: Envoy