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{{Era|Human|UNSC|HCW|Post}}
{{Status|Canon}}
{{Ship Class Infobox
[[File:H3 Heretic FleetOfRetribution.jpg|350px|thumb|A pair of Covenant [[assault carrier]]s with a number of [[battlecruiser]]s.]]
|name=Covenant carrier
'''Covenant carriers''' are a broad type of [[Covenant starship|ship]] classification of the [[Covenant]] [[Covenant fleet|fleet]] and its [[Covenant remnants|remnants]]. Often grand and illustrious, they serve as hubs for administrative and religious activities within their assigned fleets.{{Ref/Book|Id=enc22pg262|Enc22|Page=262-263}}
|image=[[File:H3-ShadowOfIntent-Side.png|350px]]<br>The distinctive shape of most carrier classes (in this case a ''CAS''-class assault carrier).<ref name="moa">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-have-s-moa '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Have S'moa'']</ref>
|manufacturer=
|line=
|model=
|class=[[Carrier]]
|length=Variable
|width=Variable
|height=
|max accel=
|max speed=
|engine=[[Repulsor engine]]s
|slipspace drive=Yes
|hdsystem=
|poweroutput=
|power=
|shield gen=
|hull=[[Nanolaminate hull plating]]
*Equipped with energy shields
|sensor=
|target=
|navigation=
|avionics=
|countermeasures=
|armament=
*[[Energy projector]]
*[[Plasma turret]]s
*[[Pulse laser turret]]s
|complement=Thousands of infantry
<br/>Numerous vehicles
|crew=
|skeleton=
|passengers=
|capacity=
|consumables=
|othersystems=
|firstuse=
|role=
|era=
*Pre-war era
*[[Human-Covenant War]]
*[[Great Schism]]
*[[Post-Covenant War conflicts]]
|affiliation=[[Covenant]]
*Several [[Covenant remnants|remnant factions]]
}}


'''Carrier''' is a [[Covenant]] ship classification. This classification includes both [[capital ship]]s and light support vessels. Carriers fulfilled a prominent role within the now-defunct [[Covenant fleet]].
==Overview==
Carriers held a Covenant fleet's clerical authority for religious ceremonies, contained small [[Assembly Forges|assembly forges]] for repairs, and the bulk of the food supply. They were often used to clear operating areas of [[space fighter]]s allowing other vessels in a fleet to focus on other targets.{{Ref/Reuse|enc22pg262}}


==Overview==
==Types of carrier==
{{Expand-section}}
 
===Assault carriers===
{{Main|Assault carrier}}
Assault carriers are the Covenant carrier type most commonly encountered by Covenant forces, classed as [[Examiner (ship type)|examiners]] in the [[Covenant ship classification system]]. They are generally the ones tasked with leading fleets of smaller warships and acting as primary combatants in [[space warfare]].{{Ref/Book|EVG|Page=28}} The [[three-letter ship classification system]] developed by the [[United Nations Space Command]] designates most of these vessels as '''CAS-class assault carriers''',{{Ref/Site|Id=WPShadow|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/shadow-of-intent|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Shadow of Intent|D=11|M=05|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Site|Id=WPSong|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/song-of-retribution|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Song of Retribution|D=26|M=01|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Book|Id=EVG|EVG|Page=28}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc09|Enc09|Page=264}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc11|Enc11|Page=276-277}}{{Ref/Book|Id=H4EVG|H4EVG|Page=195}} with the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] considering the Class-5 flagship carrier.{{Ref/Generic|Id=DD4|[[Data Drop|Data Drop 4]]}} Due to their enormous size, assault carriers may be informally termed as "supercarriers".{{Ref/Site|Id=CFMoa|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-have-s-moa|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Have S'moa|D=28|M=03|Y=2019}}
 
A number of [[design pattern]] variations of assault carrier exist:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Class !! Image !! Length !! Tonnage !! Source
|-
|{{Pattern|Kerel|assault carrier}} || [[File:H3-ShadowOfIntent-Side.png|300px]] || {{Convert|5347|m|ft|sp=us|sigfig=4}} || 2.7 billion tonnes || {{Ref/Reuse|WPShadow}}{{Ref/Reuse|WPSong}}{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc09}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}}{{Ref/Reuse|H4EVG}}
|-
|{{Pattern|Syfon|assault carrier}} || [[File:HFB-CAS&CCS&SDV.jpg|300px]] || {{Convert|5347|m|ft|sp=us|sigfig=4}} || 2.7 billion tonnes || {{Ref/Reuse|WPShadow}}{{Ref/Reuse|WPSong}}{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc09}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}}{{Ref/Reuse|H4EVG}}
|-
|[[Unidentified Covenant assault carrier class|Unidentified pattern]] || [[File:HR_LNoS_AssaultCarrier_Screenshot_1.png|300px]] || N/A || N/A || {{Ref/Level|HR|Long Night of Solace (level)|Long Night of Solace}}
|}
 
===Light carriers===
Only one known classification of light carrier has been encountered in Covenant service, dubbed the {{Pattern|Ruma|light carrier}}. These vessels are rarely encountered far from [[harborage]]s and ports, and serve as troop transports, [[Space fighter|strikecraft]] tenders and flagships for reserve fleets in the Covenant's rear lines.{{Ref/Reuse|enc22pg262}} These vessels are given the three-letter code '''DDS-class light carrier''' in UNSC classification schemes.{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}} Despite their official designation as light carriers, ''Ruma''-pattern ships are nonetheless enormous vessels and a breed apart from a variety of undefined "light carrier" vessels, such that they may be informally termed as supercarriers in their own right.{{Ref/Reuse|CFMoa}}
 
One such unidentified model of light carrier measures 1,455 meters (4,790&nbsp;ft) in length - just under half of the ''Ruma''{{'}}s length. It boasts 13 launch bays that contain a total of 300 [[Seraph]] fighters, 200 [[Banshee]]s, and 34 [[dropship]]s, and is crewed by more than 4,000 Covenant troops. It is armed with multiple [[plasma torpedo]] silos and [[pulse laser turret]]s. As it is less common and more powerful than a Covenant cruiser, it is most likely designed to act as a command ship and provide fighter support during engagements.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}} Vessels of this class, such as the ''[[Lawgiver]]'', are considered a breed apart from the larger and more heavily-equipped ''Ruma''-pattern vessels.{{Ref/Reuse|CFMoa}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Class !! Image !! Length !! Tonnage !! Source
|-
|{{Pattern|Ruma|light carrier}} || N/A || {{Convert|3000|m|ft|sp=us|sigfig=4}} || 272 million tonnes || {{Ref/Reuse|enc22pg262}}
|-
|Unidentified pattern || N/A || {{Convert|1455|m|ft|sp=us|sigfig=4}} || N/A || {{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}}
|}
 
===Supercarriers===
{{Main|Supercarrier}}
The largest warships in the Covenant armada were sometimes referred to as "supercarriers" to distinguish them from lighter carrier vessels that filled support roles.{{Ref/Reuse|CFMoa}} They are extremely large warships bordering on overlap with harborages such as [[Unyielding Hierophant]], or the [[Exarch]] class of vessels in Covenant service. In UNSC three-letter classification, the ''Sh'wada''-pattern supercarrier is dubbed the '''CSO-class supercarrier''', and is considered a Class-5 flagship carrier similarly to the smaller assault carriers.{{Ref/Reuse|DD4}}


==Classes==
Alongside the ''Sh'wada''-pattern, an unidentified model of supercarrier even larger in scope also exists in service with the Covenant fleet, rarely documented by the UNSC. Like other models of supercarrier they are often used as flagships for Covenant fleets, and may be used by Prophets as their personal command ships. One example, ''[[Sublime Transcendence]]'', led the [[Combined Fleet of Righteous Purpose]], while another commanded the [[Second Fleet of Homogeneous Clarity]].{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}}
There are three main heavy-tonnage carrier classes: the {{Class|DDS|carrier}}, the {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}, and the {{Class|CSO|supercarrier}}. They may at times be referred to as "supercarrier" by the Covenant, to distinguish them from lighter carrier vessels that only fulfill support roles.<ref name="moa"/>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Class !! Image !! Length !! Tonnage !! Source
|-
|{{Pattern|Sh'wada|supercarrier}} || [[File:HReach-CovenantSupercarrier-LNoS.png|300px]] || {{Convert|28950|m|ft|sp=us|sigfig=4}} || 152 billion tonnes ||{{Ref/Reuse|enc22pg262}}
|-
|Unidentified pattern || N/A || {{Convert|32490|m|ft|sp=us|sigfig=4}} || N/A || {{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}}
|}


==Operational history==
==Operational history==
Covenant forces have long made use of various carrier classes within their fleets.<ref group="note">This section only details the use of unnamed carrier classes. For specific appearances of named carrier classes, see the "Operational history" sections in articles ''[[DDS-class carrier#Operational history|DDS]]'', ''[[CAS-class assault carrier#Operational history|CAS]]'', and ''[[CSO-class supercarrier#Operational history|CSO]]'' carriers.</ref>
Covenant forces have long made use of various carrier classes within their fleets.{{Ref/Note|This section details the use of unidentified carrier classes only. For specific appearances of named carrier classes, see the "Operational history" sections in the articles for the [[Ruma-pattern light carrier#Operational history|''Ruma''-pattern]], ''[[CAS-class assault carrier#Operational history|CAS]]'', and ''[[Sh'wada-pattern supercarrier#Operational history|''Sh'wada''-pattern]]'' classes.}}
 
===Human-Covenant War===
For a number of years leading up to the [[Human-Covenant War]], several Covenant carriers were served as support ships and some along with "supercarriers" were assigned in the [[Second Fleet of Homogeneous Clarity]] of the [[High Charity defense fleet|defense fleet]] of ''[[High Charity]]''.{{Ref/Novel|HFS|Page=338}} By [[2526#April|April 15, 2526]], a Covenant supercarrier ''[[Hammer of Faith]]'' was under construction at the [[Ring of Mighty Abundance]] and above [[Zhoist]], a Covenant-controlled [[world]], and remained incomplete, it was destroyed by two [[HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon]]s by [[John-117]] and [[Kelly-087]] during the [[Battle of Zhoist]], along with its surrounding fabrication barns.{{Ref/Novel|SS}} On [[2552#July|July 17, 2552]], a carrier, escorted by a pair of [[Covenant frigate]]s and a [[Wik-pattern light destroyer|destroyer]], attempted to [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV|seize control]] of the [[human]] [[human colonies|colony]] world [[Sigma Octanus IV]]. When the destroyer and the two frigates were destroyed by Captain [[Jacob Keyes]], the carrier retreated until reinforcements arrived. However, the carrier did succeed in deploying 34 [[dropship]]s to the surface of the planet to initiate an invasion while hailing the rest of the [[Second Fleet of Solemn Accord|Covenant fleet]].{{Ref/Novel|HFoR|Page=170-180 (2010 edition)}}


For a number of years leading up to the [[Human-Covenant War]], Covenant carriers served as support ships in and around the [[High Charity defense fleet|defense fleet]] of ''[[High Charity]]''. On [[2552#July|July 17, 2552]], a carrier, escorted by a pair of [[Covenant frigate]]s and a [[Covenant destroyer|destroyer]], attempted to seize control of the [[human]] [[human colonies|colony]] world [[Sigma Octanus IV]]. When the destroyer and the two frigates were destroyed by Captain [[Jacob Keyes]], the carrier retreated until reinforcements arrived. However, the carrier did succeed in deploying thirty-four [[dropship]]s to the surface of the planet to initiate an invasion.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 170-180'' (2010 edition)</ref>
During the [[Battle of Installation 05]] and the [[Great Schism]], the light carrier ''[[Lawgiver]]'' assisted ''[[Incorruptible]]'' during the battle against the [[Jiralhanae]] and the [[Flood]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=goo193|GoO|Page=193-195}} A carrier would also go on assist [[Joyous Exultation Covenant|Covenant forces]] in the [[Onyx Conflict]] later that month.{{Ref/Novel|GoO|Page=305}}


During the [[Battle of Installation 05]] and the [[Great Schism]], the light carrier ''[[Lawgiver]]'' assisted ''[[Incorruptible]]'' during the battle against the [[Jiralhanae]] and the [[Flood]].<ref name="goo193">'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 193-195''</ref> A carrier would also go on assist the Covenant in the [[Battle of Onyx]] later that month.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 305''</ref>
===Post-war===
By [[2559#October|October 2559]], a former Covenant supercarrier was used as part of the Banished occupation fleet on [[Reach]] under [[War Chief]] [[Escharum]]'s command, presumably used as a flagship for the formidable armada. It also carried the War Chief's personal [[intrusion corvette]].{{Ref/Novel|HSoR}}


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:Overview - Covenant Assault Carrier.png|Overview of a ''CAS''-class assault carrier.
File:HINF Concept AssaultCarrier.jpg|Early concept art for ''[[Halo Infinite]]'' of an assault carrier.
File:HReach-CovenantSupercarrier-LNoS.png|A ''CSO''-class supercarrier.
File:Overview - Covenant Assault Carrier.png|Overview of a ''Kerel''-pattern assault carrier.
File:HO CovenantShip Concept.jpg|''[[Halo Online]]'' concept art for a [[Cut Halo Online levels|cut map]] set on a carrier.
</gallery>
</gallery>


==List of appearances==
==List of appearances==
{{Expand-section}}
*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}}
Halo 3
*''[[Halo: First Strike]]''
Halo 5:Guardians
*''[[Halo 2]]''
*''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''
*''[[Halo: Uprising]]''
*''[[Halo 3]]''
*''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''
*''[[Halo Legends]]''
**''[[Origins]]''
**''[[The Package (animated short)|The Package]]''
*''[[Halo: Evolutions]]''
**''[[Palace Hotel]]''
**''[[The Return]]''
*''[[Halo: Blood Line]]''
*''[[Halo: Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''
**''[[Terminal (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)|Terminals]]''
*''[[Halo 4]]''
**''[[Terminal (Halo 4)|Terminals]]''
**''[[Spartan Ops]]''
*''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''
*''[[Halo: Initiation]]''
*''[[Halo: Escalation]]''
*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''
**''[[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|Terminals]]''
*''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]''
*''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]''
*''[[Halo: Shadow of Intent]]''
*''[[Halo Wars 2]]''
*''[[Halo: Rise of Atriox]]''
*''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]''
*''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: The Television Series]]''


==Notes==
==Notes==
<references group="note"/>
{{Ref/Notes}}


==Sources==
==Sources==
<references/>
{{Ref/Sources}}
 
{{Covenant Ships}}


{{CovenantShips}}
[[Category:Carrier classes| ]]
[[Category:Covenant ship classes| ]]

Latest revision as of 08:55, January 27, 2024

A pair of Covenant assault carriers with a number of battlecruisers.

Covenant carriers are a broad type of ship classification of the Covenant fleet and its remnants. Often grand and illustrious, they serve as hubs for administrative and religious activities within their assigned fleets.[1]

Overview[edit]

Carriers held a Covenant fleet's clerical authority for religious ceremonies, contained small assembly forges for repairs, and the bulk of the food supply. They were often used to clear operating areas of space fighters allowing other vessels in a fleet to focus on other targets.[1]

Types of carrier[edit]

Assault carriers[edit]

Main article: Assault carrier

Assault carriers are the Covenant carrier type most commonly encountered by Covenant forces, classed as examiners in the Covenant ship classification system. They are generally the ones tasked with leading fleets of smaller warships and acting as primary combatants in space warfare.[2] The three-letter ship classification system developed by the United Nations Space Command designates most of these vessels as CAS-class assault carriers,[3][4][5][6][7][8] with the Office of Naval Intelligence considering the Class-5 flagship carrier.[9] Due to their enormous size, assault carriers may be informally termed as "supercarriers".[10]

A number of design pattern variations of assault carrier exist:

Class Image Length Tonnage Source
Kerel-pattern assault carrier H3-ShadowOfIntent-Side.png 5,347 meters (17,540 ft) 2.7 billion tonnes [3][4][5][6][7][8]
Syfon-pattern assault carrier HFB-CAS&CCS&SDV.jpg 5,347 meters (17,540 ft) 2.7 billion tonnes [3][4][5][6][7][8]
Unidentified pattern A screenshot of an assault carrier from Halo: Reach, taken using freecam mode in the Halo: Reach Editing Kit. A persistent and unremovable UI popup in the top-left was content-aware-filled out in Photoshop. N/A N/A [11]

Light carriers[edit]

Only one known classification of light carrier has been encountered in Covenant service, dubbed the Ruma-pattern light carrier. These vessels are rarely encountered far from harborages and ports, and serve as troop transports, strikecraft tenders and flagships for reserve fleets in the Covenant's rear lines.[1] These vessels are given the three-letter code DDS-class light carrier in UNSC classification schemes.[5] Despite their official designation as light carriers, Ruma-pattern ships are nonetheless enormous vessels and a breed apart from a variety of undefined "light carrier" vessels, such that they may be informally termed as supercarriers in their own right.[10]

One such unidentified model of light carrier measures 1,455 meters (4,790 ft) in length - just under half of the Ruma's length. It boasts 13 launch bays that contain a total of 300 Seraph fighters, 200 Banshees, and 34 dropships, and is crewed by more than 4,000 Covenant troops. It is armed with multiple plasma torpedo silos and pulse laser turrets. As it is less common and more powerful than a Covenant cruiser, it is most likely designed to act as a command ship and provide fighter support during engagements.[7] Vessels of this class, such as the Lawgiver, are considered a breed apart from the larger and more heavily-equipped Ruma-pattern vessels.[10]

Class Image Length Tonnage Source
Ruma-pattern light carrier N/A 3,000 meters (9,843 ft) 272 million tonnes [1]
Unidentified pattern N/A 1,455 meters (4,774 ft) N/A [7]

Supercarriers[edit]

Main article: Supercarrier

The largest warships in the Covenant armada were sometimes referred to as "supercarriers" to distinguish them from lighter carrier vessels that filled support roles.[10] They are extremely large warships bordering on overlap with harborages such as Unyielding Hierophant, or the Exarch class of vessels in Covenant service. In UNSC three-letter classification, the Sh'wada-pattern supercarrier is dubbed the CSO-class supercarrier, and is considered a Class-5 flagship carrier similarly to the smaller assault carriers.[9]

Alongside the Sh'wada-pattern, an unidentified model of supercarrier even larger in scope also exists in service with the Covenant fleet, rarely documented by the UNSC. Like other models of supercarrier they are often used as flagships for Covenant fleets, and may be used by Prophets as their personal command ships. One example, Sublime Transcendence, led the Combined Fleet of Righteous Purpose, while another commanded the Second Fleet of Homogeneous Clarity.[7]

Class Image Length Tonnage Source
Sh'wada-pattern supercarrier HReach-CovenantSupercarrier-LNoS.png 28,950 meters (94,980 ft) 152 billion tonnes [1]
Unidentified pattern N/A 32,490 meters (106,600 ft) N/A [7]

Operational history[edit]

Covenant forces have long made use of various carrier classes within their fleets.[Note 1]

Human-Covenant War[edit]

For a number of years leading up to the Human-Covenant War, several Covenant carriers were served as support ships and some along with "supercarriers" were assigned in the Second Fleet of Homogeneous Clarity of the defense fleet of High Charity.[12] By April 15, 2526, a Covenant supercarrier Hammer of Faith was under construction at the Ring of Mighty Abundance and above Zhoist, a Covenant-controlled world, and remained incomplete, it was destroyed by two HAVOK tactical nuclear weapons by John-117 and Kelly-087 during the Battle of Zhoist, along with its surrounding fabrication barns.[13] On July 17, 2552, a carrier, escorted by a pair of Covenant frigates and a destroyer, attempted to seize control of the human colony world Sigma Octanus IV. When the destroyer and the two frigates were destroyed by Captain Jacob Keyes, the carrier retreated until reinforcements arrived. However, the carrier did succeed in deploying 34 dropships to the surface of the planet to initiate an invasion while hailing the rest of the Covenant fleet.[14]

During the Battle of Installation 05 and the Great Schism, the light carrier Lawgiver assisted Incorruptible during the battle against the Jiralhanae and the Flood.[15] A carrier would also go on assist Covenant forces in the Onyx Conflict later that month.[16]

Post-war[edit]

By October 2559, a former Covenant supercarrier was used as part of the Banished occupation fleet on Reach under War Chief Escharum's command, presumably used as a flagship for the formidable armada. It also carried the War Chief's personal intrusion corvette.[17]

Gallery[edit]

  • Early concept art for Halo Infinite of an assault carrier.

    Early concept art for Halo Infinite of an assault carrier.

  • Overview of a Kerel-pattern assault carrier.

    Overview of a Kerel-pattern assault carrier.

  • Halo Online concept art for a cut map set on a carrier.

    Halo Online concept art for a cut map set on a carrier.

List of appearances[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ This section details the use of unidentified carrier classes only. For specific appearances of named carrier classes, see the "Operational history" sections in the articles for the Ruma-pattern, CAS, and Sh'wada-pattern classes.

Sources[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 262-263
  2. ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 28
  3. ^ a b c Halo Waypoint, Shadow of Intent (Retrieved on May 11, 2021) [archive]
  4. ^ a b c Halo Waypoint, Song of Retribution (Retrieved on Jan 26, 2021) [archive]
  5. ^ a b c d Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 28
  6. ^ a b c Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition), page 264
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Halo Encyclopedia (2011 edition), page 276-277
  8. ^ a b c Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 195
  9. ^ a b Data Drop 4
  10. ^ a b c d Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - Have S'moa (Retrieved on Mar 28, 2019) [archive]
  11. ^ Halo: Reach, campaign level Long Night of Solace
  12. ^ Halo: First Strike, page 338
  13. ^ Halo: Silent Storm
  14. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 170-180 (2010 edition)
  15. ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 193-195
  16. ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 305
  17. ^ Halo: Shadows of Reach

v • d • e
 
Ship classifications of the Covenant and its remnants
Light warships
Jiralhanae ships
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