Fuel rod

A Covenant Anti-Air Wraith, with triple-barreled fuel rod cannons mounted.

Fuel rods are a form of explosive munitions used by several Covenant weapon systems.

Essentially radioactive material encased in a magnetic field, fuel rods are used in Fuel Rod Guns, Covenant Carbines, and the weapons mounted on the Type-52 Anti-Aircraft Artillery Wraith and the Banshee. These projectiles are guided to the target by their magnetic fields, with larger weapons capable of guiding their munitions to the target, while the Carbine's projectiles are faster and more accurate, but unguided. Once they strike the target, the magnetic field dissipates, and the radioactive materials detonate.

These ammunition types are most often used in an anti-armor or anti-air role. They are also used as anti-personal weapons. They are essentially the Covenant equivalent to the UNSC's M41 SSR MAV/AW rocket launcher. Though the fuel rods are slower than the UNSC rockets, as well as dealing slightly less damage upon impact, they are better able to track their targets, and can fire rapidly, not to mention being able to store more of them.

A Halo 3 Covenant Fuel Rod Gun

Rumors surround Fuel Rods, with many UNSC Marines under the apparent belief that even carrying a weapon that uses them for ammunition can cause Boren's Syndrome.