Combat knife

This article is about the UNSC weapon. For other uses, see Knife.

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

A UNSC combat knife.

A combat knife is a knife designed for close-quarters combat. They are primarily used for trench warfare and boarding actions.^[1]

The Covenant use knives as well; the Jiralhanae use their own combat knives as well as a multitude of bayonet-like blades. The Sangheili sometimes use curveblades, which inspired the design of the Type-1 energy sword. The blamite-bladed energy cutlass is an analogous weapon used by the Kig-Yar.^[2]^[3]

Overview

Design details

One version of the UNSC's multi-purpose combat knife has a 20-centimeter (7.9 in) blade made of high carbon steel, an anti-flash, non-reflective titanium carbide coating, edge coated for corrosion resistance and is 43.3 centimeters (1 ft 5.0 in) long when sheathed. It is also balanced for throwing.^[4] The Spartan-IIIs' standard-issue combat knife features a self-sharpening blade made of a hyperdense material.^[5] Modern UNSC combat knives are made of strong enough material to pierce a Spartan's helmet,^[6] and the hull of a Lich.^[7]

The placement of the combat knife sheath varies depending on the combat uniform and individual loadout, and may be kept, for example, on the shoulder with the handle pointing downward, sideways on the lower back, or on the side of the boot.^[8] Some Spartan-IVs keep their knives sheathed in a wrist compartment.^[9]

Usage

Some soldiers in service with the UNSC carry a combat knife of their own design or choice. Major Faison had a very large knife that he kept sheathed at his ankle, with the words "Bug-Hunter" engraved on the blade.^[10] Emile-A239 used a large kukri for his weapon of choice.^[11] Roland-B210, a member of the SPARTAN-III program's Headhunters division, also used a custom combat knife.^[12] Frederic-104 possesses particular skill with combat knives, and it can be interpreted that he has a liking for their use.^[13]^[14]

During the Battle of Trove, Sergeant John Forge's combat knife "Lucy" was used to seriously wound Arbiter Ripa 'Moramee, allowing Forge to kill 'Moramee with his own energy sword.

During the Battle of Kamchatka, Spartan Jameson Locke uses his combat knife to fight and kill Jul 'Mdama the leader of the reformed Covenant.^[15]

Variants

Large-scale manufacturing and broad leeway with usage means there are hundreds of variations available to UNSC personnel including kukris, ulus, billhooks, and push daggers.^[1]

M1 combat knife^[16]
M5 combat knife: The most common knife in service across all UNSC branches. It has an operational history of decades.^[1]
M11 combat knife: A combat knife designed and built for Spartans.^[17]^[18]
MK 88 Ratio: A compact survival and utility knife commonly carried by UNSC and militia forces.^[16]
Model 52 Navy knife: A large knife preferred by UNSC Navy special forces.^[16]
Lucy: The combat knife in possession of John Forge.

An MK88 knife.
A TAC/Model 52 Navy knife.
An M1 combat knife.
An M11 combat knife.

Non-canon and dubious canon appearances

Fractures

Entrenched

Main article: Fractures: Entrenched

Knives are used throughout the Entrenched Fracture. Different types can be seen on the EAGLESTRIKE armors.

Gameplay

When performing an assassination, any knives placed on armor will not be used. This can be seen in Theater: despite using a knife to assassinate your opponent, it still appears sheathed on your chest.

Gallery

A combat knife holstered on an ODST's shoulder from Halo: Landfall.
A replica of a curved combat knife created by Weta Workshop.
Edward Buck wielding a combat knife as he is about to stab a Jiralhanae Chieftain in the neck, in Halo 3: ODST.
Detail of Edward Buck's combat knife.
Frederic-104 holding a pair of combat knives, his weapons of proficiency, in The Package.
James MacCraw holding his combat knife in The Mona Lisa.
Jonah-B283 wielding his combat knife in Headhunters.
A combat knife being used in an assassination in Halo: Reach.
Emile-A239 sharpening his kukri.
A Spartan-III player assassinating a Sangheili in the Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta.
An in-game screenshot of a combat knife used by a Spartan-III.
Detail of a combat knife and its scabbard in Halo: Reach.
Detail of Emile-A239's kukri knife and its sheath.
John-117 using his combat knife to grapple onto the hull of a Kmiro'sish-pattern Lich.
Sarah Palmer killing Vladimir Scruggs with a combat knife in Halo: Escalation.
A combat knife holstered on an ODST's back in Halo 2: Anniversary.
A Spartan-IV using a combat knife on an opponent in the HCS season 2 trailer.
Jameson Locke killing Jul 'Mdama with a combat knife in Halo 5: Guardians.
John-117 killing a Sangheili Storm with a combat knife in Halo: Tales from Slipspace.
Douglas-042's combat knife embedded in Atriox's power armor in Halo Wars 2.
Sergeant Kress using a combat knife in a final showdown with Atriox in Halo: Rise of Atriox.
A bot in Halo Infinite with 3 kukris.
A UNSC Marine wearing a combat knife in Halo Infinite.
A combat knife attached to an Eaglestrike chestpiece.
A combat knife attached to a Grognards shoulder.
2 combat knives part of the Twin Teeth utility.