A nuclear weapon is a type of ordnance using nuclear fission and/or fusion as a source of energy. The yield of a nuclear weapon is measured in the amount of tons of "TNT" needed to generate an explosion of similar proportions.
Overview
At the time of the start of the Insurrection in 2494 it was widely believed that fissile detonations in space were practically useless, as the vacuum of space severely reduces the explosive yield and the resulting electromagnetic pulse. As such, it came as a surprise to the UNSC when the Insurrectionists used a nuclear device in a space battle following the Callisto Incident, having hidden in into an asteroid in advance. When detonated, the nuke shattered the asteroid to molten pieces, which in turn destroyed one UNSC ship and severely damaged two.[1] Later on, the UNSC has used nukes in space warfare to a great degree, increasing their explosive power by developing loads enhanced for vacuum use.[2]
Engagements against the Covenant during the Human-Covenant War constantly kept the UNSC's nuclear stockpiles near depletion. This occasionally forced them to resort to using obsolete nukes or unorthodox solutions.[3][4][5] The Covenant did not generally use nuclear weapons, regarding them as "heretic" weapons. An exception to this were the Jiralhanae, who had no qualms about using captured UNSC nukes or any other UNSC matériel.[6][7]
Commonly, the casings of UNSC nuclear weapons such as the FENRIS nuclear warheads are heavily reinforced, both to contain radiation and to boost the thermonuclear yield for containing the detonation for a split second longer.[8] The hardened cases also protect the nukes inside and prevent them from going off accidentally - it was noted that detonating a bomb next to a FENRIS warhead would barely scratch the casing.[9]
An operational idiosyncrasy of nuclear weapons is the result of containing fissile material. Fissile materials, such as plutonium, emit a readily detectable Čerenkov radiation signature upon exiting slipspace that negates stealth measures. As a result, if complete stealth is required, prowlers are forced to jettison any on-board nuclear weapons before transitioning back to normal space to avoid detection.[10] In addition, nukes launched from slipspace can easily be detected by enemy sensors, despite the use of stealth coatings or lead linings.[11]
The energy shielding used in Covenant warships has been noted to dampen the EMP generated by the detonation of a nuke inside the ship. The SPARTAN-IIs used this to their advantage when they destroyed a Covenant cruiser during the Fall of Reach, without risking damaging the nearby orbital defense generators.[12]
Nuclear weapons are also sold commercially, and are commonly used in asteroid mining. In 2513, an Insurrectionist suicide bomber used one such commercial explosive in a terrorist attack on the Haven arcology on Mamore, killing two million and injuring over eight million more.[13]
UNSC nuclear ordnance
The UNSC employs a range of nuclear ordnance.
FENRIS nuclear warhead
- Main article: FENRIS nuclear warhead
The FENRIS is a type of low-yield thermonuclear device. They were slated for decommissioning but munition expenditures during the Human-Covenant War saw the survivors return to service.[3][4][14]
Fury tactical nuclear weapon
- Main article: Fury tactical nuclear weapon
The Fury, formally designated as the Medium Fusion Destructive Device,[15] is a rugby ball-sized device with a yield slightly less than a megaton. It is the "closest thing the UNSC has to a nuclear grenade".[16]
HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon
- Main article: HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon
The HAVOK is a 30 megaton thermonuclear device. Some were delivered by ground forces during the Human-Covenant War.[17][18][19]
HORNET mine
- Main article: HORNET mine
The HORNET is a 30 megaton space mine. The devices are designed to be more stealthy than an ordinary nuke and are carried aboard UNSC prowlers. Although like all nuclear weapons, they can be easily detected when exiting slipspace,[10] they can be rendered practically undetectable by cooling them to near-absolute zero temperatures, same as that of interstellar space, in their launch chambers.[20]
NOVA bomb
- Main article: NOVA bomb
The NOVA is a strategic device, and undoubtedly humanity's most powerful weapon. It consists of 9 nuclear warheads encased in a lithium triteride shell, which is compressed during detonation, boosting the yield "a hundred-fold".[21] A single NOVA has enough power to cause complete devastation on a planetary scale, and can destroy orbiting moons and naval fleets.[22]
Shiva-class nuclear missile
- Main article: Shiva-class nuclear missile
The Shiva is a type of starship ordnance.[23][24] They may also be carried by GA-TL1 Longswords.[25]
Rudra-class nuclear missile
- Main article: Rudra-class nuclear missile
The Rudra is another type of starship ordnance. The UNSC Port Stanley carried multiple enhanced yield Rudra nukes.[26]
Hyperion-class nuclear missile
- Main article: M4093 Hyperion nuclear delivery system
The Hyperion is a class of nuclear weapons shown to be carried by the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn that is capable of destroying a CCS-class battlecrusier in one hit if its shields are down.
List of appearances
- Halo 2
- Halo 3: ODST (Mentioned only)
- Halo: Reach (Mentioned only)
- Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
- Halo: The Fall of Reach (First appearance)
- Halo: First Strike
- Halo: Contact Harvest
- Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
- Halo: The Flood
- Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
- Halo: Legends
- Deliver Hope
- Halo: The Thursday War
Sources
- ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, "The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole", page 445
- ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, "Chapter 35" page 326
- ^ a b Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, "Chapter 1", page 34
- ^ a b Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, "Chapter 23", page 205
- ^ Halo: Reach, campaign level Long Night of Solace
- ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, "Chapter 23", page 207
- ^ Halo 2, campaign level Uprising
- ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, "Chapter 1", page 39
- ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, "Chapter 23", page 209
- ^ a b Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, "Chapter 22", page 187
- ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, "Prologue", page 15
- ^ Halo: First Strike, "Chapter 3", page 25
- ^ Intersystem News: HAVEN TERROR BOMBING KILLS TWO MILLION
- ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, "Chapter 24", page 215
- ^ Halo: Reach: Deliver Hope
- ^ Halo: First Strike, "Chapter 1", page 20
- ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 200
- ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 212
- ^ Halo Wars: Genesis, page 17
- ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 325
- ^ Halo: First Strike, page 180
- ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 244
- ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, pages 147, 322-324
- ^ Halo: The Cole Protocol, page 82
- ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2011), page 320
- ^ Halo: The Thursday War, page 320