Editing UNSC Cradle

{{Title|UNSC ''Cradle''}}
{{Status|Canon}}
{{Individual ship infobox
|name=UNSC ''Cradle''
|image=[[File:Cradle1.png|300px]]
|manufacturer=
|class=[[Refit station]]<ref name="for181">''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', p. 156 (2001); p. 181-183 (2010)</ref>
|role=Refit and repair{{Ref/Reuse|for181}}
|length={{Convert|1800|m|ft|sp=us}}<ref name="cf100">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/sweet-centennial '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Sweet Centennial'']</ref>
|width={{Convert|600|m|ft|sp=us}}{{Ref/Reuse|cf100}}
|height=
|engine=
|slipspace drive=Equipped{{Ref/Reuse|for181}}
|hull=[[Titanium-A armor]]{{Ref/Reuse|for181}}
|countermeasures=
|armament=
|firstuse=
|commission=
|lastsight=
|destroyed=[[2552#July|July 18, 2552]]<ref name="for216">''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', p. 192-193 (2001); p. 216-222 (2010)</ref>
|battles=[[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]]{{Ref/Reuse|for216}}
|fleet=[[Epsilon Eridani Fleet]]{{Ref/Reuse|for181}}
|namedcrew=[[Richard Lash]]'s father<ref name="goo186">''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'', p. 186</ref>
|captains=
|affiliation=[[UNSC Navy]]{{Ref/Reuse|for181}}
}}

'''UNSC ''Cradle''''' was a [[refit station]] in service with the [[UNSC Navy]] attached to the [[Epsilon Eridani Fleet]].{{Ref/Reuse|for181}} [[Richard Lash]]'s father served as a welder on the station.{{Ref/Reuse|goo186}} ''Cradle'' ultimately sacrificed itself during the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV|Battle]] of [[Sigma Octanus IV]] to protect the ships of its [[Battle Group Leviathan|battle group]].{{Ref/Reuse|for216}}

==History==
In [[2552#July|July of 2552]], UNSC ''Cradle'' was attached to [[Vice Admiral]] [[Michael Stanforth]]'s [[Battle Group Leviathan|Battle Group ''Leviathan'']] of the [[Epsilon Eridani Fleet]], the [[UNSC Navy]] [[fleet]] charged with defending the [[Epsilon Eridani system]]. On [[2552#July|July 18, 2552]], after [[Commander]] [[Jacob Keyes]] successfully [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV|fended off]] several [[Covenant]] [[warship]]s at [[Sigma Octanus IV]], Stanforth led Battle Group ''Leviathan'' to [[Sigma Octanus system|the system]] to lend aid to the planet. Upon arrival, Stanforth had ''Cradle'' repair {{Class|Halberd|light destroyer}} {{UNSCShip|Iroquois}}, Keyes' ship that had been damaged in the initial attack.{{Ref/Reuse|for181}}

[[File:FoR Covenant - Cradle destroyed.jpg|thumb|250px|left|''Cradle'' is destroyed over Sigma Octanus IV]]
As a second naval engagement began over Sigma Octanus IV, ''Cradle'' was used as a shield for Battle Group ''Leviathan'' when the Covenant attacked, sacrificing itself so that the rest of the battle group could be protected from a salvo of plasma fire. No escape pods were launched and the entire crew was killed. They were avenged moments later when Battle Group ''Leviathan'' destroyed [[seven]] Covenant ships and damaged many others with their [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]] volley fire.{{Ref/Reuse|for216}} The remains of the station were pushed into high orbit above Sigma Octanus IV after the battle.<ref>''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', p. 246 (2010)</ref>

The tactic would be reused at the [[Fall of Reach|Fall]] of [[Reach]] later that year with several of that planet's repair stations and some [[human]] ships manned by skeleton crews, in order to protect the planet's [[orbital defense platform]]s and more valuable ships from Covenant [[plasma torpedo]]es.<ref name="enc260">''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]'', p. 260 (2011)</ref>

==Design details==
UNSC ''Cradle'' was essentially a large square plate of [[titanium-A armor]], larger than a square kilometer. When running at full capacity, ''Cradle'' was capable of refitting six [[UNSC destroyer|destroyer]]s, three from her upper surface and three from her lower surface, in a matter of hours. When repairing a [[warship]], ''Cradle'' would deploy scaffolds to facilitate repairs and resupply tubes, hoses, and cargo [[tram]]s were utilized. It was crewed by only thirty individuals, in addition to the EVA work crews. Like many such stations, it was equipped with a [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine]] for interstellar travel, allowing it to travel alongside naval [[battle group]]s and provide immediate refits for damaged vessels.{{Ref/Reuse|for181}} ''Cradle'' was slower than the warships in the [[UNSC Navy]]'s fleet.{{Ref/Reuse|for216}}

==Production notes==
The ''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]'' erroneously refers to ''Cradle'' as a class of [[refit station]], rather than an individual vessel.{{Ref/Reuse|enc260}} UNSC ''Cradle'' was humorously referred to during a [[Canon Fodder]] post on [[2015|April Fools' 2015]], in which the dimensions of a literal infant "UNSC [[Wikipedia:Cradle (bed)|cradle]]" were given, in response to an influx of questions relating to the dimensions of UNSC ''Cradle'' at the time of the blog's posting.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fauxder-believe '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fauxder - Believe'']</ref> For the 100th edition of Canon Fodder, ''Cradle'''s dimensions were approximated to be 1,800m x 600m, although specific dimensions are currently not noted in the [[Halo Story Bible|Story Bible]].{{Ref/Reuse|cf100}}

==List of appearances==
* ''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}}
* ''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]''
**''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Covenant|Covenant]]''

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cradle}}
[[Category:Refit stations]]
[[Category:UNSC ships]]