Editing Fuel rod

{{Status|Canon}}
[[File:1211317365 Fuel Rod.jpg|thumb|300px|A Class-2 fuel rod projectile in mid-flight.]]
{{Quote|It’s so weird. I don’t know who first called it a fuel rod gun, but it’s kind’a funny. I suppose the projectile is reminiscent of how you might expect to see a nuclear fuel rod depicted in a gee eh cartoon—all glowing green and throwing off sparks.|Anonymous [[E2-BAG/1/7]] serviceman.{{Ref/Reuse|bnetfuelrodgun}}}}
'''Fuel rods''' ([[Sangheili (language)|Sangheili]]: '''''Ket-lambdatha''''') are a colloquial nickname given by [[human]] personnel for a form of explosive munition used in several [[Covenant]] weapon systems.{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=298-299}}{{Ref/Book|Id=vis|EVG|Page=77}}

==Overview==
The ''ket-lambathda'' gained their human-given nicknames from their appearance, visually resembling popular culture depictions of nuclear fuel rods.{{Ref/Site|Id=bnetfuelrodgun|URL=http://halo.bungie.net/projects/halo3/content.aspx?link=h3fuelrod|Site=Bungie.net|Page=Type-33 Light Anti-Armor Weapon|D=31|M=01|Y=2021|LocalArchive=Machines, Materiel and Munitions from the Human-Covenant Conflict, 2525 - Present#Type-33 Light Anti-Armor Weapon}} Despite this, the technology has very little in common with nuclear technology. Fuel rods consist of caseless, transparent projectiles{{Ref/Reuse|vis}} containing [[incendiary gel]] - a radioactive substance composed of energetic meta-materials and strained-bond lattices—an imperfect form of [[Forerunner]] [[infusion gel]].{{Ref/Site|Id=II|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/infusion-invasion|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Community Update - Infusion Invasion|D=30|M=10|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}

When the fuel rod weapon is fired, the radioactive chemical inside the fuel rod is ignited and launched from its containment shell, exploding on impact with a surface or once enough gas has been expelled from the projectile to reach environmental equilibrium.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}

The incendiary gel at the heart of a fuel rod is next-to-impossible to create, requiring advanced Forerunner machinery and the cooperation of [[Huragok]] to maintain. This process has been the subject of [[Misriah Armory]] and [[Materials Group]] research for nearly thirty years, though to-date, the [[United Nations Space Command]] still prefers to source fuel rods from the [[Merchants of Qikost]] due to issues with expense, safety and reliability - with the manufacturing process bringing with it the danger of creating feedstock isotopes.{{Ref/Site|Id=universe|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/weapons/fuel-rod-cannon|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Fuel Rod Cannon|D=27|M=11|Y=2015}}

===Usage===
Fuel rods are primarily employed by the [[Covenant]] in anti-armor and anti-air roles, fired by their [[fuel rod gun]]s and [[fuel rod cannon]]s. The visibility of the fuel rod projectiles in flight give them a distinct psychological effect on enemy soldiers, which helps in their intimidation value.{{Ref/Reuse|bnetfuelrodgun}} Fuel rods fired by vehicle-mounted cannons can be guided by remote lock-on, while those fired from infantry-mounted weapons typically fire with a pronounced arc allowing them to be used as an indirect-fire mortar.

The [[XM4600 Zeus plasma munition howitzer|XM4600 ''Zeus'' plasma munition howitzer]] developed by the [[United Nations Space Command]] during the [[Human-Covenant War]] utilises fuel rods encased in a custom 320mm shell.{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=141}}

==Variants==
At least two variants of fuel rod munition have been [[Type classification system#Class designations|catalogued]] by the UNSC;

===Class-2===
'''Class-2''' fuel rod projectiles are unguided and {{Convert|38|mm|in|sp=us}} in diameter.{{Ref/Reuse|vis}}{{Ref/Reuse|bnetfuelrodgun}}{{Ref/Book|Id=OSFM|OSFM|Page=195}} They are the primary projectile fired by infantry-portable fuel rod guns including the {{Pattern|Gespu|fuel rod gun|}}, {{Pattern|Korva|fuel rod gun}}, {{Pattern|Pez'tk|fuel rod gun}} and {{Pattern|Zasqi|fuel rod gun}}s, alongside some variants of [[assault cannon]].{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} The conflicts of the [[Blooding Years]] gave way for improved models of fuel rod to be designed;{{Ref/Site|Id=CFLockeLoad|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-locke-load|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Locke & Load|D=23|M=12|Y=2019}} these include the faster projectiles fired by the specialised [[Light of Urs]] fuel rod,{{Ref/Game|Id=LoU|H5G|List of REQ cards|REQ card|Detail=Light of Urs description|Quote=The war on Sanghelios has led to unprecedented advances in fuel rod technology. Improved Fuel Rod Cannon that fires faster-moving projectiles that do more damage.}} and the unstable advanced models fired by the [[Pool of Radiance]] - which leave pools of incendiary gel on the ground after firing.{{Ref/Game|Id=PoR|H5G|List of REQ cards|REQ card|Detail=Pool of Radiance description|Quote=Both the Swords of Sanghelios and Covenant use once-forbidden armaments in their bloody civil war. Advanced Fuel Rod Cannon that fires unstable projectiles that leave a dangerous residue in their impact area.}}

===Class-3===
The [[fuel rod cannon]]s mounted on the {{Pattern|Ogab'd|anti-aircraft Wraith}} and {{Pattern|Muv'te|anti-aircraft Wraith}}s, alongside those of the [[Banshee]] use the heavier Class-3 fuel rods, which have a greater range and a capability to track heat signatures.{{Ref/Book|EVG|Page=9}} The [[Morsam-pattern Seraph]] is additionally equipped with four fuel rod cannons, which are capable of locking onto air targets.{{Ref/Game|HR|Seraph in-game vehicle}}

==Etymology==
Though widely used among UNSC personnel, "fuel rod" is actually an informal term supposedly originating from common popular culture depictions of nuclear fuel rods.{{Ref/Reuse|bnetfuelrodgun}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} Rumors surround fuel rods, with many UNSC Marines under the apparent belief that even carrying a weapon that uses them for ammunition can cause [[Boren's Syndrome]].{{Ref/Site|Id=bnetcarbine|URL=http://halo.bungie.net/projects/halo3/content.aspx?link=h3carbine|Site=Bungie.net|Page=Type-51 Carbine|D=16|M=01|Y=2021|LocalArchive=Machines, Materiel and Munitions from the Human-Covenant Conflict, 2525 - Present#Type-51 Carbine}} In practice, [[Spartan Operations]] personnel are advised to avoid handling fuel rod components without protective [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor]], due to the projectiles' radioactivity and toxicity.{{Ref/Reuse|OSFM}}

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Fuel Rod Gun Ammo.jpg|A fuel rod without its radioactive gas. This happens in-game when the camera appears too close to the subject.
File:H2A T33LAAW.png|A ''Korva''-pattern fuel rod gun with a top-loaded clip of primed fuel rods.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-2}}
*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' 
*''[[Halo: The Flood]]''
*''[[Halo: First Strike]]''
*''[[Halo 2]]''
*''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''
*''[[Halo: Landfall]]''
**''[[Halo: Combat]]''
**''[[Halo: Last One Standing]]''
*''[[Halo: Uprising]]''
*''[[Halo 3]]''
*''[[Halo Wars]]''
*''[[The Life]]''
*''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''
*''[[Halo Legends]]''
**''[[Origins]]''
**''[[Prototype]]''
**''[[The Babysitter]]''
{{col-2}}
*''[[Halo: Blood Line]]''
*''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
**''[[Dirt]]''
**''[[The Return]]''
*''[[Remember Reach]]''
**''[[Deliver Hope]]''
*''[[Halo: Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]
**''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Covenant|Covenant]]
**''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Invasion|Invasion]]
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''
**''[[Terminal (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)|Terminals]]''
*''[[Halo: The Thursday War]]''
*''[[Halo 4]]''
**''[[Spartan Ops]]''
*''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''
*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''
*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''
*''[[Halo Wars 2]]''
*''[[Halo: Envoy]]''
*''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Divine Wind]]''
*''[[Halo Infinite]]''
{{Col-end}}

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

{{Covenant ordnance}}
[[Category:Ammunition]]