Editing Vindication-class light battleship

{{Title|''Vindication''-class light battleship}}
{{Status|Canon}}
{{Infobox/Ships
|name            = ''Vindication''-class
|image           = [[File:H4-Vindication.png|300px]]
|caption         = 
|modules         = 
{{Infobox/Ships/Class
|hide-class           = 
|class identification = 
|class operator       = [[UNSC Navy]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|class manufacturer   = [[Martian Metals Shipyards]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|class architect      = 
|class built          = 
|class in service     = [[2554]]-present{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}{{Ref/Note|Id=service|Text=''Vindication''-class ships can be seen at the [[Battle of Alpha Corvi II]] in a hologram in [[Halo: Collateral Damage Issue 1|Issue #1]] of ''[[Halo: Collateral Damage]]''. While this was initially implied to suggest the ''Vindication'' had a service history in the Human-Covenant War, the [[2022]] ''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition)|Halo Encyclopedia]]'' established the ''Vindication'' as having been first launched in 2554 - retconning this panel as just an example of unreliable comic artwork and also contradicting ''[[Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Story of Halo]]''{{'}}s page 74, which states that ''Vindication''-class light battleship was in service during the Human-Covenant War.}}
}}
|hide-characteristics=
|nocollapse      = yes
|type            = [[Battleship]]{{Ref/Reuse|Bulletin}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=125}}
|length          = {{Convert|5183|ft|m|sp=us|disp=flip|sigfig=3.5}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}{{ref/Site|Id=Bulletin|URL=https://blogs.halowaypoint.com/en-us/blogs/headlines/posts/the-halo-bulletin-5-14-14|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=The Halo Bulletin 5.14.14|D=30|M=06|Y=2014}}
|width           = 
|height          = 
|mass            = 12 million tonnes{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|power           = 
|maneuver drive  = [[Fusion drive]]s
|slipspace drive = [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine]]
|crew            = 
|complement      = 
|troops          = 
|hull            = [[Titanium-A armor]]
|shielding       = [[Energy shielding]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|sensors         = 
|ew              = 
|armaments       = 
*1 battery of 2 Mark X [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|76G3V5 superheavy MACs]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
*50 [[Archer missile|M58 Archer missile pods]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
*4 [[Sentry autocannon|M60 Sentry naval autocannons]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
*20 [[M910 Rampart point defense network|M910 point defense guns]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|aircraft        =
|air facilities  = 
}}
The '''''Vindication''-class light battleship''' is a [[capital ship|capital warship]] utilized by the [[United Nations Space Command]] during the [[Post-Covenant War conflicts|post-war]] era.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}{{Ref/Reuse|Bulletin}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Mythos|HM|Page=74}}

==Overview==
===Design details===
The ''Vindication''{{'}}s hull is rather flat, though the bow slants upward and forward. Several antennae protrude from the fore end. The ship has one large, primary thrust nozzle and four smaller, secondary nozzles.{{Ref/Level|Id=Midnight|H4|Midnight}} The ship is equipped with experimental [[energy shielding]].{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}

===Armaments===
The ''Vindication''-class is designed as a ship-killer, intended to hunt down [[Covenant carrier]]s and [[support ship]]s before they can engage. To this end, the ''Vindication'' is equipped with two gargantuan [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|Mark X 76G3V5 Superheavy MACs]], mounted in a battery. The superheavy MACs have a long charge time, and thus the ''Vindication'' requires extensive support from friendly ships to defend itself while preparing a new volley. The MAC armament is supplemented with fifty [[Archer missile|M58 Archer missile]] pod and four [[Sentry autocannon|M60 Sentry naval autocannons]] - alongside twenty [[M910 Rampart point defense network|M910 point-defence guns]].{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}

==Ships of the line==
*{{UNSCShip|Vindication}} - The [[Wikipedia:lead ship|lead ship]] of the class

==Operational history==
===Post-war===
The ''Vindication''-class was launched from [[Martian Metals Shipyards]] at least in [[2554]].{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}{{Ref/NoteReuse|service}} At least one ''Vindication'' was present at the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}'s commissioning ceremony on [[2557#February|February 21, 2557]].{{Ref/Marketing|H4|The Commissioning}} Part of [[Battle Group Dakota]], several assaulted the ''[[Mantle's Approach]]'' during the [[Didact]]'s [[New Phoenix Incident|attack on Earth]] in [[2557#July|July 2557]].{{Ref/Reuse|Midnight}} During the [[Requiem Campaign]] in early [[2558]], at least three ships of this class deployed fireteams to the surface in order to find [[Catherine Halsey|Dr. Catherine Halsey]] after her abduction at the hands of the [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|Covenant]].{{Ref/SpOps|Id=search-for-halsey|Key}}

==Non-canon and dubious canon appearances==
===''Halo: Collateral Damage''===
Several ships resembling the ''Vindication''-class helped to [[Battle of Alpha Corvi II|defend]] [[Alpha Corvi II]] from the [[Covenant]] in [[2525#December|December 2525]] during the earliest stages of the [[Human-Covenant War]].{{Ref/Comic|HCD|Issue=1}}{{Ref/NoteReuse|service}}

==Production notes==
{{Linkbox|gallery=yes}}
*Two ''Vindication''-class battleships appear in the background of the ''Halo 4'' level ''Midnight''; given their nature they are intended to be seen only from a considerable distance. However, exploiting a [[Midnight vacation|glitch]] allows the player to examine these vessels up close, along with a number of {{Class|Poseidon|light carrier}}s and {{Class|Strident|heavy frigate}}s. Because these ships are intended to appear only as scenery, they are rendered as brushes rather than level geometry; as such, the player can fly the Broadsword through them without harm. By the same merit the ships' in-game models are not to scale with their canonical incarnations.{{Ref/Reuse|Bulletin}}
*The ''Vindication''-class battleship and ''Poseidon''-class carrier were to be featured in ''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]'' but were cut due to space constraints.{{Ref/Reuse|Bulletin}}

==Gallery==
===Concept art===
<gallery>
File:H4 - Vindication early sketches.jpg|Early concept art of what would become the ''Vindication''-class for ''[[Halo 4]]''.
File:H4-PaulRichards-Vindication_early.jpg|Concept art for the ''Vindication''-class. A ship seen in the ''[[The Commissioning]]'', would be based on this art.
</gallery>

===Artwork===
<gallery>
File:HM-Vindication.png|Profile of the ''Vindication''-class in ''[[Halo Mythos]]''.
File:HM-Infinity.png|''Halo Mythos'' artwork of UNSC warships, including a ''Vindication''-class battleship in the distance.
File:HCD-AlphaCorviIIholo3.png|A battlegroup featuring a pair of ''Vindication''-class battleships defends Alpha Corvi II from a Covenant armada.{{Ref/NoteReuse|service}}
</gallery>

===Screenshots===
<gallery>
File:Commissioning-5.jpg|An unidentified vessel in ''[[The Commissioning]]'', bearing heavy resemblance to the ''Vindication'' concept art.
File:H4 - MidnightShips1.png|Two ''Vindication''-class vessels along with a {{Class|Poseidon|light carrier}} and a {{Class|Strident|heavy frigate}}.
File:H4 - MidnightShips3.jpg|The rear of a ''Vindication''-class vessel along with two ''Poseidon''-class carriers.
File:Vindication - Spartan Ops.png|Three ships of this class participating in the Requiem Campaign of 2558.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo 4]]'' {{1st}}
**''[[Spartan Ops]]''
*''[[Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Story of Halo]]'' 
*''[[Halo: Collateral Damage]]'' {{C|Non-canon appearance}}

==Notes==
{{Ref/Notes}}

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

{{Human Ships}}

[[Category:UNSC ship classes]]
[[Category:Battleship classes]]