UNSC destroyer: Difference between revisions

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The most common destroyer type used during the [[Human-Covenant War]] and the later years of the Insurrection features a distinctive "arrowhead" profile.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 26''</ref> At 485 meters, it is only [[seven]] meters longer than a {{Class|Stalwart|light frigate}}, yet it has almost double the mass;<ref group="note">According to ''Halo Waypoint'', the standard destroyer has a mass of 7,900 metric tons. However, such mass would be physically impossible given the ship's size.</ref> this is because they have between one-and-a-half to two meters of [[titanium-A armor]].<ref name="enc"/><ref name="class"/><ref name="waypoint"/> This class' armament consists of two [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]]s, twenty-six oversized [[Archer missile]] pods, and three {{Class|Shiva|nuclear missile}}s. For defense against single ships the destroyer carries eight twin-linked [[Point defense gun|50mm point-defense autocannons]].<ref name="class"/> Unlike most UNSC warships they do not carry [[GA-TL1 Longsword]] interceptors.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 139''</ref>

Such vessels were in service as early as [[2517]]<ref>''Halo: Fall of Reach - Boot Camp''</ref> and continued to serve throughout the Human-Covenant War. Despite their powerful armament and maneuverability, many Fleet officers looked down upon destroyers, considering them too ineffective against Covenant ships. It was generally agreed that seven destroyers were a match for four [[Covenant frigate]]s.<ref name="class"/> One of the most notable destroyers was the {{UNSCship|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]].<ref>'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 10|Issue 10]]''</ref>

Similar in design to a cruiser,<ref name="Genesis">'''Halo Wars: Genesis'''</ref><ref name="BC">''Halo: Fall of Reach - Boot Camp''</ref> the CMA destroyer [[CMA Heracles|''Heracles'']] belonged to an unidentified class. The ''Heracles'' was the command ship of [[Battlegroup 4]] following the disastrous [[First Battle of Harvest|first contact]] with the [[Covenant]].<ref name="Genesis"/>

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File:UNSC Heracles.png|The destroyer CMA ''Heracles'' transitioning from slipspace.

File:The Heart of Midlothian 2.png|The destroyer ''The Heart of Midlothian''.

File:FoR UNSC Pioneer.png|The destroyer UNSC ''Pioneer''.

File:Iroquois collision.jpg|The ''Iroquois'' collides with a [[Covenant stealth ship]].