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UNSC frigate

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UNSC frigate
HaloReach - UNSCFrigate.png
UNSC Aegis Fate.png
A Paris-class heavy frigate (top) and a Charon-class light frigate.
Production information

Class:

Frigate

Role:

  • Protection of larger fleet ships
  • Deployment of ground forces
Technical specifications

Length:

Variable:

  • 535.05 meters (1,755.4 ft) (Paris-class)[1]
  • 478 meters (1,568.25 ft) (Stalwart-class)[2]
  • 489.71 meters (1,606.65 ft) (Charon-class)[3]
  • 575.16 meters (1,887 ft) (Strident-class)[4]
  • 371.86 meters (1,220 ft) (Anlace-class)[5]

Width:

Variable:

  • 198.68 meters (651.85 ft) (Paris-class)[1]
  • 151.88 meters (498.28 ft) (Stalwart-class)[2]
  • 155.58 meters (510.42 ft) (Charon-class)[3]
  • 124.05 meters (407 ft) (Strident-class)[4]

Height:

Variable:

  • 162.08 meters (531.77 ft) (Paris-class)[1]
  • 112.39 meters (368.72 ft) (Stalwart-class)[2]
  • 139.20 meters (456.68 ft) (Charon-class)[3]
  • 112.17 meters (368 ft) (Strident-class)[4]

Engine(s):

Slipspace drive:

Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine

Hull:

60 centimetres (2 ft 0 in) titanium-A battle plate

Armament:

Complement:

Chronological and affiliation

Affiliation:

UNSC Navy

 

Frigate (hull classification symbol FFG) is a warship classification in the UNSC Navy. Although they do not possess the same degree of armor, armament, and firepower as destroyers, frigates are lighter and more maneuverable. They are also cheaper to produce, allowing greater numbers to be fielded against the Covenant.

Background

During the Human-Covenant War, UNSC frigates were barely considered a match for even the smallest of Covenant warships. Their armor was susceptible to enemy point-defense pulse lasers and plasma torpedoes, and it is outfitted with substandard weaponry. Only en masse did the UNSC frigate give any UNSC fleet element an advantage against even inferior numbers of Covenant capital ships. By 2552, UNSC frigates designs became more technologically advanced as seen with both the Strident-class heavy frigate and the Anlace-class frigate.

The frigate's speed and maneuvering are its advantage, however, allowing UNSC frigates to provide fire support to other UNSC fighter craft such as Sabres or Longswords and engage both multiple enemy single ship fighters, such as Banshee interceptors or Seraphs, and light enemy warships simultaneously; its speed allows it to put down fire on an enemy ship while being able to avoid a large amount of fire from largely superior Covenant weaponry.[10] In addition to this, its small size and role as a troop carrier vessel make it ideal for supporting ground operations in planetside theaters of action, capable of laying down suppressive fire against Covenant ground forces while deploying its complement of aircraft and marines to bolster UNSC forces on the surface.

Layout

While details between the various classes of UNSC frigate vary, all share the same overall design and layout.

Bridge

The bridge of the frigate is located in the uppermost part of the ship, in the section at the stern-most tip of the MAC gun shaft. The commanding officer's chair is located behind the two primary consoles within the bridge. There also are numerous other consoles located at the sides of the room. There are four bridge stations: Navigation, Operations, Weapons, and Communications. There are airlocks on both sides on the bridge.[11] Modern frigate classes are also equipped with universal hardpoints on their dorsal and ventral hulls, allowing them to dock with other UNSC vessels.[12] On top of the bridge is a maser dish for short-range communication.

Midsection

The forward midsection of the ship has numerous single ship hangar bays for Pelicans or fighter craft like Longswords on both sides. A UNSC frigate also possess twelve SOEIV bays, located in the rear of the ship, which facilitate the deployment of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. Also, spread throughout the frigate's structure are a number of its many escape pod bays.

Main hangar

Some frigate classes, namely the Charon-class, also have a large loading elevator in their rear section which is capable of extending out of the ship's ventral side to deploy vehicles or cargo directly to the ground.[13][14] The UNSC Forward Unto Dawn featured a large rear section which had the capacity of holding several Pelicans in addition to numerous ground vehicles. These hangar floor elevators have been seen operating in two different modes; the single-sided hinges on the elevator are able to swing down 90° in order to allow aircraft like Pelicans to drop vertically out of the hangar for quick deployment.[14] So far the frigate is the only UNSC warship that has been seen landing and deploying vehicles directly to the surface of a planet (or Halo installation in the Dawn's case).

Classes

The Navy uses multiple frigate classes. Though they vary in size, armament, and purpose, they all follow some of the same design principles.

  • The Charon-class light frigate can carry a large complement of troops and vehicles. It is not as heavily armed or armored as other escort vessels of similar design. This belies a role as fleet support and troop carrier, although it is still capable of ship-to-ship combat.
  • The Paris-class heavy frigate boasts additional titanium-A armor plating and a larger number of point-defense guns than standard frigates, giving it greater capabilities as a fleet support vessel.
  • The Stalwart-class light frigate is best suited for planetary defense, fleet escort duties, and troop deployment. It has a smaller complement of vehicles than the Charon class, and less armament than the Paris class, effectively balancing it between troop transportation and fleet support.
  • The Anlace-class frigate lacks a MAC spinal mount but has a light MAC on top. Primarily uses directed-energy weapons.

Specifications

Propulsion

Like other human ships, the UNSC frigate is powered by thermonuclear fusion reactors which use deuterium (a stable hydrogen isotope) as fuel. The engines almost certainly use the energy obtained from this process to heat some form of reaction propellant which is expelled out of rear-facing exhausts to generate thrust. There are four exhausts visible on frigates; two large and two small. In addition, the frigate has two sets of forward maneuvering thrusters near the front.[11]

UNSC frigates are capable of hovering in an atmosphere and even landing. This is likely accomplished through the use of anti-gravity generators, although the technology involved has never been elaborated upon. Frigates are able to perform a Class-L flash-dock, a landing procedure used when time is of the essence which requires precise maneuvering control.[15]

For interstellar voyages, the frigate carries a Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine.

Armament

The MAC barrel on a UNSC frigate.

A typical UNSC frigate carries the following armament:

  • 1 Magnetic Accelerator Cannon which is able to fire one round per charge. The MAC runs between one- and two-thirds of a Frigate's total length. MACs are typically spinally mounted to a frigate, though they are not on at least one post-war frigate class.[16][17]
  • 3 Shiva-class nuclear missiles serve as heavy ordnance.
  • 40 Archer missile pods which carry around thirty missiles per pod, adding up to a total of 1200 missiles.
  • 4-12 50mm point defense guns function as the last line of defense against single ships and incoming missiles, with the ability to later retract into the vessel. They are used for aerial bombardment on occasion. The model and amount of guns possessed by each ship varies by class.

Crew

No precise figures are available regarding the crew of a frigate, although numbers have been speculated. Like larger ships, a detachment of Marines and possibly ODSTs would be present onboard. The crew number includes deck crews as well as the command crew, Marines, ODSTs, dropship pilots, and technical personnel. The number of personnel a single frigate is capable of housing numbers at least within the thousands.[18] Since many frigates have been seen in ground support roles, it is likely that the complement of Marine and ODST personnel on board is higher in percentage than other ships that are more dedicated to space combat.

In 2552 Sergeant Major Avery Johnson was supposedly able to singlehandedly control the frigate UNSC Forward Unto Dawn to aid Spartan John-117 and Arbiter Thel 'Vadam on the newly rebuilt Halo, though an auto-pilot function was available with the use of the ship's onboard navigational computer. An AI can monitor and regulate all critical functions without human intervention.

Superstructure

The armor of a frigate is relatively poor compared with that of its larger cousins and counterparts such as the UNSC destroyer, with only 60 cm of titanium-A battle plate. However, due to its relatively light weight, the frigate's strength lies instead in maneuverability and speed. The frigate's relatively wide design is supported by structural support ribs, allowing it to perform orbital incursions. As of 2558, certain frigates (namely, the UNSC Infinity's ten Strident-class sub-vessels) possess energy shielding technology.[19]

Known frigates

List of known frigates
Name Hull classification symbol Earliest sighting Engagements Status Notable information
UNSC Aegis Fate FFG-307 August 2552 Fall of Reach
 Unknown
UNSC Agincourt FFG-??? 2552 Onyx Conflict Destroyed - October 31, 2552
UNSC Allegiance FFG-??? July 2552 Battle of Sigma Octanus IV Unknown
UNSC Anlace FFG-??? Lead ship of the Anlace-class frigate.
CMA Arabia CMA-??? 2525 Investigation of Harvest Destroyed - 2525
UNSC Cascadia FFG-??? 2556 Rescue mission on Cleyell Active (presumed)
UNSC Charon FFG-??? Lead ship of the Charon-class light frigate.
UNSC Chioglossa FFG-127 October 20, 2552 Battle of Earth Destroyed
UNSC Commonwealth FFG-??? November 2525 Battle of Chi Ceti IV Decommissioned some time between 2525 - 2552 Dismantled at the Asźod ship breaking yards on Reach
UNSC Fair Weather FFG-??? July 2552 Battle of Sigma Octanus IV Destroyed
UNSC Forward Unto Dawn FFG-201 November 17, 2552 Battle of Earth
  • Battle of Tsavo

Operation: BLIND FAITH

Destroyed
Lost in space, crashed on Requiem 		Aft section adrift in unknown region of space with Spartan-117 and Cortana aboard.
UNSC Gettysburg FFG-??? July 2552 Battle of Sigma Octanus IV

Fall of Reach
Massacre at Eridanus Secundus
Operation: FIRST STRIKE

Active (presumed) Once coupled with the Covenant carrier Ascendant Justice
The only UNSC ship equipped with a Covenant Borer
UNSC Grafton FFG-318 August 12, 2552 Fall of Reach Destroyed - August 12, 2552 Heavy frigate
UNSC In Amber Clad FFG-142 April 2550 Battle of Earth

Battle of Installation 05

Fall of High Charity

Damaged - November 3, 2552
Destroyed in late 2552 		Commandeered by the Flood
UNSC Journeyman FFG-??? September 2517 Unknown Was patrolling the Eridanus system in 2517
UNSC Meriwether Lewis FFG-??? Before 2552
UNSC Midsummer Night FFG-209 2535 Battle of the Rubble Unknown Light frigate
Temporarily captured by Insurrectionists
UNSC Paris FFG-??? October 2552 Battle of Earth Unknown
UNSC Promise of Dawn FFG-??? 2552 Destroyed - 2553 Declared MIA after Fall of Reach, distress signal attributed to the ship was received from Sephune III in 2553.
UNSC Purpose FFG-??? February 13, 2526 Battle of Bliss Destroyed - 2526
UNSC Ready or Not FFG-??? 2535
UNSC Redoubtable FFG-??? October 20, 2552 Battle of Earth

Battle of Installation 05

Unknown Detected Forerunner signal from Delta Halo
UNSC Saratoga FFG-??? August 12, 2552 Fall of Reach
  • Battle of Viery
 Unknown Heavy frigate
UNSC Savannah FFG-371 August 13, 2552 Fall of Reach
  • Operation: UPPER CUT
 Destroyed - 2552 Heavy frigate
UNSC Stalwart Dawn FFG-101 August 23, 2552 Fall of Reach Unknown Light Frigate
UNSC Swift Justice Unknown
UNSC Tannenberg FFG-??? January 2531
UNSC Tripping Light FFG-??? 2547 Decommissioned and dismantled - September 4, 2547
CMA Vostok CMA-??? February 2525 Investigation of Harvest Destroyed
UNSC Welcome to the Snipehunt FFG-??? July 2558 Active

Gallery

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List of appearances

Sources

  1. ^ a b c Halo: Reach 3D game data
  2. ^ a b c Halo 2 3D game data
  3. ^ a b c Halo 3 3D game data
  4. ^ a b c Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 192
  5. ^ Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual, page 14
  6. ^ Halo 2, campaign level Delta Halo (Bridge officer: "Both engine cores have spun to zero.")
  7. ^ Halo: First Strike, page 275
  8. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 111
  9. ^ Halo Waypoint - Canon Fodder: Calm in the Storm
  10. ^ Halo: Reach, campaign level Long Night of Solace
  11. ^ a b This piece of Halo 3 concept art specifies several parts of the frigate's design. Some elements, like the Harpoon nuke, are not canon.
  12. ^ Halo: First Strike, pages 208-209
  13. ^ Halo 2
  14. ^ a b Halo 3, campaign level The Ark
  15. ^ Data Drop #6
  16. ^ Halo 5: Guardians
  17. ^ Spartan Games: Halo Waypoint Update with Spartan - NEW SHIPS!
  18. ^ Halo: First Strike, page 220
  19. ^ Spartan Ops, S1E1 - Departure

External

v • d • e
 
Human ship classifications
Stealth craft
Heavy frigates Paris-class • Strident-class
Light frigates Anlace-class • Charon-class • Mulsanne-class • Stalwart-class
Heavy destroyers Able-class • Hillsborough-class
Light destroyers Diligence-class • Halberd-class • Unidentified
Heavy cruisers Autumn-class • Marathon-class • Valiant-class
Light cruisers Halcyon-class
Unclassified
By human faction: UEG (UNSC • CAA) • Insurrectionist
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