Destroyer

There is more information available on this subject at Destroyer on the English Wikipedia.

A destroyer is a type of warship in both the UNSC and Covenant navies. In seaborne navies, a destroyer has been defined as a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range but powerful attackers (such as a fighter).

Summary

The destroyers used by the UNSC are roughly the same size as a UNSC frigate, but are designed with greater emphasis on firepower and armor over versatility. Aside from using them as fleet escorts, the UNSC is known to deploy destroyers on patrol and scouting operations.

The Covenant navy also includes vessels classified as destroyers. Covenant destroyers are employed in a variety of roles, including serving as escorts for larger ships such as carriers, whilst being themselves escorted by smaller ships like frigates. The Covenant also use destroyers in planetary glassing operations.

The Forerunners possessed an analogous ship classification, although their definition of a destroyer is significantly different from that used by the younger races. For example, the experimental flagship UNSC Infinity and the CAS-class assault carrier Shadow of Intent, both highly formidable command vessels, are considered mere destroyers by the Forerunner definition.

Types

Human

UNSC

Class	Image	Details
Halberd class		The Halberd class in service as early as 2517 and continued to serve throughout the Human-Covenant War. One of the most notable Halberd-class destroyers was the UNSC Iroquois, captained by Commander Jacob Keyes, which performed the daring Keyes Loop during the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV. This destroyer type continues to be in service with the Navy by 2557.
Unidentified light destroyer class		The light destroyer was in service prior to the Insurrection, and predated the introduction of the Magnetic Accelerator Cannon. Three such vessels famously took part in the Callisto Incident.
Able class		The Able class has been in service with the Navy since 2490. In 2497, the heavy destroyer UNSC Gorgon was the first ship of its class to be armed with a Magnetic Accelerator Cannon, for which the ship carried only three slugs. Then-Captain Preston Cole served on this ship during the Insurrection. The Gorgon was later assigned to Admiral Cole's fleet during the Human-Covenant War.
Hillsborough class		Similar in design to a cruiser, the CMA destroyer Heracles belonged to the Hillsborough class of destroyer. The Heracles was the command ship of Battle Group 4 following the disastrous first contact with the Covenant.
Diligence class		The Diligence-class is an older class of destroyer formerly operated for peacekeeping purposes by the Colonial Military Authority. The class has a wide beam and is almost equally tall. Numerous large antennae are mounted across the hull. By the start of the Covenant War, the Diligence-class had been retired for decades, though some ships were brought back into service and retrofitted for used in the war. The only known vessel of this class, the UNSC Kronstadt, deployed an ODST-Spartan team during a raid on Heian at some point between 2540 and 2551.

Covenant

Main article: Covenant destroyer

Class	Image	Details
Sinaris-pattern heavy destroyer		A destroyer deployed aggressively, often engaging hostiles first. CPV-class vessels are part of the "executioner" category; largely being crewed by those who were condemned for disloyalty or disobedience.
Wik-pattern light destroyer		A light destroyer used for reconnaissance and pursuit of hostile vessels.