Editing Fleet

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Wikipedia|Naval fleet}}
A '''fleet''' is a large, permanent organization of ships including starships. Fleets are usually relatively large and manned by thousands of individuals on what is normally dozens or hundreds of ships. Smaller, more temporary groups of ships are generally known as [[battle group]]s.

==Types==
===Human fleets===
====Historic====
In [[1573]], [[Japan]] had a fleet of 133 ships which were destroyed by 13 ships. At a different time point, the [[United States of America]] also had a [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] fleet at [[Wikipedia:Pearl Harbor|Pearl Harbor]], which was eventually destroyed by Japan.{{Ref/Novel|Halo: Silent Storm|Chapter=4}} 
====UNSC fleets====
{{Main|UNSC Navy}}
UNSC fleets are divided into Expeditionary and Defensive fleets. They are typically assigned to [[Sector]]s.<ref name="fb9">''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]'', Core Rulebook - page 9</ref> Sector fleets are usually commanded by a [[Vice Admiral]].<ref name="OSFM140">''[[Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual]]'', PART 8: UNSC ORGANISATION, NAVCOM Ranks (p. 140-141)</ref>

=====Defensive fleets=====
Defensive fleets are typically named after the star system they are based in. Prior to the Human-Covenant War, they were considered little more than glorified revenue police, though they proved invaluable in providing training cadres and battle-ready (if outdated) warships to the war effort. Defensive fleets are typically built around smaller "tactical" [[UNSC carrier|carrier]]s serving as the fleet's core.<ref name="WFEpoch">''Halo: Warfleet'', p.40-41</ref> Known defense fleets include;
*[[Bliss Defense Fleet]]
*[[Epsilon Eridani Fleet]]
*[[UNSC Home Fleet]]

=====Expeditionary fleets=====
Expeditionary fleets are numbered fleets designed for offensive operations into deep space. These fleets were largely decimated in the early years of the [[Human-Covenant War]], and by the war's end there was no appreciable difference between Expeditionary or Defensive fleets, and the navy was unable to conduct any kind of offensive operation without leaving [[Earth]] and the remaining colonies dangerously vulnerable.{{Ref/Reuse|fb9}} During the period in which they were operational, Expeditionary Fleets built their cores around massive super carriers such as the {{Class|Epoch|heavy carrier}}.{{Ref/Reuse|WFEpoch}} Known expeditionary fleets include;
*[[Second Fleet]]
*[[Third Fleet]]
*[[Fifth Fleet]]
*[[Seventh Fleet]]
*[[Sixteenth Fleet]]

=====Dead fleets=====
By the end of the war, many of the Navy's fleets had also become "paper fleets", or "dead fleets", with no command and no ships. These fleets were assigned to sectors lost to the Covenant early in the war, with their destroyed [[squadron]]s remaining attached to the sector to honor their sacrifice and as deference for tradition. A new ship was occasionally inadvertently attached to one of these dead fleets due to bureaucratic error, though such assignments were considered ill omens by their crew members.{{Ref/Reuse|fb9}}

=====Composition=====
UNSC fleets are comprised of numerous [[battle group]]s, smaller tactical formations of ships. Naval fleets rarely patrol together, and it is fairly common for single ships to patrol regions of space alone. Fleets are also comprised of [[squadron]]s, though by the end of the war these were administrative rather than tactical groupings.{{Ref/Reuse|fb9}} Fleets, as with battle groups, usually have at least one [[UNSC prowler|prowler]] to act as the fleet's eyes and ears and to also serve as saboteurs.{{Ref/Novel|[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]|Page=329}} 

The UNSC also maintains the [[UNSC commercial fleet]], which is not a military unit and instead fulfills the role of a [[Wikipedia:merchant navy|merchant navy]].{{Ref/Novel|[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]|Page=96}}

{{UNSC military organization}}

===Covenant fleets===
{{Main|Covenant fleet}}
Covenant fleets are usually dominated by larger, more powerful ships. [[Covenant frigate]]s are common in smaller fleets, however, there are usually far more [[Covenant destroyer|destroyers]] and [[Covenant cruiser|cruisers]] suited for [[glassing|plasma bombardment]]. Covenant fleets are essentially self-sustaining armadas, capable of operating without supply for indefinite periods thanks to their use of [[Mjern-pattern agricultural support ship|agricultural support ships]].<ref>''[[Halo Graphic Novel]]'', p. 15</ref> Like Covenant ships, fleets are also given different designations mostly pertaining to religious nomenclature. Larger Covenant fleets typically contain thousands of ships, most of them {{Class|CCS|battlecruiser}}s and groups of {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}s.{{Ref/Book|[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]|Page=276}}

Large Covenant fleets are usually commanded by a [[Fleet Master]] or a [[Supreme Commander]].{{Ref/Novel|Halo: Ghosts of Onyx|Page=243}} Although, some small fleets are commanded by a singe [[Shipmaster]].<ref>''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]'', "[[The Return]]"</ref>

===Forerunner fleets===
{{Main|Forerunner fleet}}

Fleets were a basic unit of organization in the [[Forerunner]] [[ecumene]]'s military forces. Throughout Forerunner history, most fleets fell under the authority of the [[Warrior-Servant]] [[rate]], but after their reduction at the hands of the [[Builder]]s, [[Builder Security]] became the dominant military organization. Forerunner fleets were under the authority of [[Forerunner Fleet Command|Fleet Command]].<ref name="Terminals">''[[Halo 3]]'', ''[[Terminal (Halo 3)|Terminals]]''</ref>{{Ref/Novel|[[Halo: Silentium]]|Page=197}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:UNSC Fleet.jpg|The UNSC Home Fleet engages the [[Fleet of Sacred Consecration]] over [[Earth]].
File:H3_Heretic_FleetOfRetribution.jpg|The [[Fleet of Retribution]].
File:Ships fr.png|A Forerunner naval unit battling the [[Flood]].
</gallery>

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{UNSC military organization}}
[[Category:Fleets| ]]
[[Category:UNSC organizational military units]]
[[Category:Covenant military units]]
[[Category:Forerunner military units]]