Editing Space fighter

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Disambig header|starfighters employed within the Halo universe|the 343 Industries internal game pitch|Halo: Starfighter}}
[[File:HR Anchor9Defense.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Morsam-pattern Seraph|''Morsam''-pattern Seraph]]s and {{Pattern|Elsedda|Banshee}}s engaging [[YSS-1000 Sabre]]s over [[Reach]] during [[Operation: UPPER CUT]].]]
[[File:HTfS gallery Infinity.png|thumb|250px|[[F-41 Broadsword]]s engaging ''Elsedda''-pattern Banshees in front of the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}.]]
A '''space fighter''',{{Ref/Book|Id=warfleetof92|Halo: Warfleet|Section=Frigates|Page=38}} '''strike fighter''',<ref name="h4evg114">''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]'', p. 114</ref>{{Ref/Reuse|warfleetbroadsword}} or simply '''fighter''',{{Ref/Reuse|h4evg114}}{{Ref/Reuse|warfleetbroadsword}}{{Ref/Reuse|hw2despair}} known by the [[Covenant]] as '''Strikecraft'''{{Ref/Book|Id=WarfleetIndex|[[Halo: Warfleet]]|Section=Glossary|Page=92}}{{Ref/Book|Halo: Warfleet|Section=Strikecraft|Page=58-59}} and to the [[UNSC]] as an '''interceptor''',{{Ref/Book|Id=warfleetsabre|Halo: Warfleet|Section=Carriers|Page=40}}{{Ref/Book|Id=warfleetbroadsword|Halo: Warfleet|Section=Fighters|Page=28-29}} are small, versatile, and maneuverable spacecraft, primarily used for exoatmospheric [[wikipedia:Interceptor aircraft|interception]], [[wikipedia:air interdiction|interdiction]], or [[space warfare|space-supremacy]] operations. 

==Overview==
These ships are unable to enter [[slipspace]] by themselves, and need to be launched from [[planet]]ary bases, orbiting [[space station]]s, or [[capital ship]]s to conduct ''strike''-operations against enemy [[warship]]s, intercept fighters, and provide escort for warships and [[dropship]]s.<ref>''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]'', p. 266</ref>{{Ref/Novel|[[Halo: First Strike]]|Page=6}} Their size varies from a few meters to well over 50 meters. Most known space fighters are [[Wikipedia:Spaceplane|spaceplanes]], capable of operating in both atmospheric/exoatmospheric (A/X){{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/the-new-halo-encyclopedia-is-out-today|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=The New Halo Encyclopedia is Out Today|D=11|M=03|Y=2023}} and suborbital/orbital (S/O) environments. The [[Forerunner]] [[Warrior-Servant]]s often used space fighters in combat. Some space fighters, called [[weapon-ship]]s, could be remotely-controlled at a ratio of up to a million ships per warrior.{{Ref/Novel|[[Halo: Cryptum]]|Page=174}}

[[Warship]]s primarily designed to transport and maintain fighter-squadrons are commonly known as [[carrier]]s.<ref>''Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe'', p. 259</ref> In the [[UNSC Navy]], starfighters were deployed from all warships larger than a [[UNSC corvette|corvette]], as corvettes were too small to carry anything larger than a shuttle.{{Ref/Novel|[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]|Page=64}} {{Class|Marathon|heavy cruiser}}s are capable of reconfiguring themselves as light carriers by sacrificing weapons installations and cargo bays for increased fighter capacity.{{Ref/Book|Id=fb125|[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]|Section=Core Rulebook|Page=125}} UNSC doctrine typically dictates the launching of a fighter assault against an enemy fleet employing wolf-pack tactics before it can swarm a [[capital ship]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=SS17|[[Halo: Silent Storm]]|Chapter=17}} 

During the [[Battle of Biko]], [[Nizat 'Kvarosee]] deployed his fighters in a tight "shell" around their motherships, ensuring that any attempt to [[Boarding|board]] his vessels would be met with failure, considered an unusual deployment tactic by the UNSC.{{Ref/Reuse|SS17}} This differed from usual Covenant deployment tactics, which would see fighters deploy straight to attack the enemy, leaving their capital ships relatively undefended.{{Ref/Novel|Id=SS21|Halo: Silent Storm|Chapter=21}}

==Types==
===Covenant===
*'''{{Pattern|Elsedda|Banshee}}''' - An exoatmospheric variant of the [[Type-26 Banshee]],{{Ref/Reuse|hrlongnight}} it was the standard interceptor support craft of the [[Covenant fleet]].<ref>''Halo: Reach'', game stats</ref>
*'''[[Seraph]]''' - Seraph is the name of several different space fighters.{{Ref/Book|[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]|Page=169}} Two design patterns of that fall under it are the [[Morsam-pattern Seraph|''Morsam''-pattern]] (known as the Type-31 Seraph) and the [[Kai-pattern Seraph|''Kai''-pattern]].
*'''{{Pattern|Keljiric|Tarasque}}''' - The Tarasque heavy fighter was an older space fighter.<ref name="h3flightdescription">''[[Halo 3]]'' - Appearance - Armor - Armor Classification: Elite - Head - Flight description</ref>
*'''{{Pattern|N'weo|Gigas}}''' - The Gigas fighter-bomber was an older craft.{{Ref/Reuse|h3flightdescription}} Though it still saw deployment as late as [[2526]] from the [[Fleet of Swift Justice]].{{Ref/Novel|[[Halo: Oblivion]]|Chapter=21}}
*'''[[Dovotaa Workshop Griever]]''' - a large craft employed by the [[Banished]].{{Ref/Novel|HSoR|Chapter=16}}
<gallery class=center>
File:Type-27 XMF.png|The Type-27 Space Banshee.
File:H4-T31SeraphXMF.png|The ''Morsam''-pattern.
File:H3-T31SeraphXMF-FrontRender.png|The ''Kai''-pattern.
File:Tarasque Art.png|The Tarasque.
File:Enc22_GigasFighterBomber.png|The Gigas.
File:Enc22_Griever.png|The Griever.
</gallery>

===Human===
*'''[[GA-TL1 Longsword]]''' - The primary fighter of the UNSC fleet.<ref>''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]'', p. 261</ref> Several known variants of the Longsword exist including the [[C708 Longsword|C708]], [[C709 Longsword|C709]], [[C712 Longsword|C712]] and [[C718 Longsword|C718]] variants.
*'''[[F-29 Nandao]]''' - The Nandao fighter was a type of fighter used by the UNSC as early as [[2526]].{{Ref/Novel|Oblv|Chapter=12}}
*'''[[F-41 Broadsword]]''' - The Broadsword was a type of UNSC interceptor manufactured in the thousands primarily in the [[Outer Colonies]] during the Covenant war.{{Ref/Reuse|warfleetbroadsword}}
*'''[[FSS-1000 Sabre]]''' - The Sabre is a swift, versatile, and utterly lethal interceptor. Only several hundred were manufactured before the war ended.{{Ref/Reuse|warfleetsabre}} It could launch from the surface of a planet via a [[Wikipedia:Single-stage-to-orbit|single-stage-to-orbit]] system.{{Ref/Level|Id=hrlongnight|HR|Long Night of Solace (level)|Long Night of Solace}}
*'''[[OF92 Booster Frame]]''' - The OF92 Booster Frame is a type of open frame space fighter designed for Spartan operatives.{{Ref/Reuse|warfleetof92}}
*'''[[S-14 Baselard]]''' - The Baselard was a two-seater fighter craft in use by the UNSC as early as [[2526]].{{Ref/Novel|HSS|Chapter=19}}
*'''[[S77 Crow]]''' - An older fighter designed by [[civilian|private corporations]] for convoy escort.{{Ref/Novel|HRet|Chapter=1}}
*'''[[S-930 Pegasus]]''' - Originally developed as a competitor to the FSS-1000 Sabre, the Pegasus was selected to replace Air Force Baselard stocks in [[2570]].{{Ref/Site|Id=CFDigsite|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-digsite-dissection|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Digsite Dissection|D=28|M=07|Y=2023}}
<gallery class=center>
File:HCE-LongswordFighter.png|The C709 Longsword.
File:H2A - Longsword model.jpg|The C712 Longsword.
File:Enc22 C718LongswordFront.png|The C718 Longsword.
File:Enc22 Nandao alternate angles.jpg|The F-29 Nandao.
File:H4 Broadsword profile.png|The F-41E Broadsword.
File:Sabre-class Starfighter.png|The FSS-1000 Sabre.
File:OF92EVA.png|The OF92 Booster Frame.
File:Enc22 Baselard.jpg|The S-14 Baselard.
File:HR Digsite Pegasus 2.jpg|The S-930 Pegasus.
</gallery>

===Forerunner===
*'''{{Class|Despair|fighter}}''' - The ''Despair''-class fighter was a Forerunner fighter that was buildable from a [[Design seed|ship-seed]].<ref name="hw2despair">''[[Halo Wars 2]]'', [[Phoenix Logs]], [[Phoenix Logs#Forerunner|Forerunner ship]]</ref>
<gallery class=center>
File:HW2 Despair-Class-Fighter.png|The ''Despair''-class fighter.
</gallery>

==Gameplay==
===''Halo: Reach''===
During the level ''[[Long Night of Solace (level)|Long Night of Solace]]'', the player has the opportunity to fly the [[FSS-1000 Sabre|YSS-1000]] [[Sabre]] over [[Reach]]. Through the [[Pilotable Seraph]] [[Glitches|glitch]], players are able to fly the [[Morsam-pattern Seraph|''Morsam''-pattern]] [[Seraph]] as well. For the [[Forge/Halo: Reach#Changes for Halo: The Master Chief Collection|"Thorage"]] update in ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'', the Sabre and Seraph were added to the Forge inventories of [[Forge World]] and [[Tempest]] - marking the first time a Seraph has been flyable without glitches or exploits.

===''Halo 4''===
In the final level ''[[Midnight]]'', the player is given the opportunity to fly the [[F-41 Broadsword|F-41E]] [[Broadsword]] through the [[Forerunner]] ship ''[[Mantle's Approach]]''. For the [[Forge/Halo 4#Changes for Halo: The Master Chief Collection|"Thorage" update]] which saw ''Halo 4'' brought to PC platforms, the ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection|Master Chief Collection]]'' version of ''Halo 4'' was updated to make the Broadsword useable in multiplayer. The Broadsword can be spawned in Forge on the maps [[Impact]], [[Ravine]], [[Erosion]] and [[Forge Island]].

==Production notes==
During the [[Development of Halo 2|development]] of ''[[Halo 2]]'', the UNSC were intended to have a dedicated space fighter during the Battle of Earth. The fighter was nicknamed the "[[strike fighter]]", though was cut from the game.

Prior to mid-[[2018]], an internal prototype was worked on at [[343 Industries]] known as the "[[Halo: Starfighter]]". The prototype was designed to expand upon the fighter combat ideas seen in the ''Halo: Reach'' level [[Long Night of Solace (level)|Long Night of Solace]] and explore its use in a full game.{{Ref/Site|Id=Kao|URL=https://www.artstation.com/artwork/mz3ZLd|Site=ArtStation|Page=343 Industries Team Pitch: Last Star Fighter|D=17|M=01|Y=2021}}

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

{{Ship types}}

[[Category:Space fighters| ]]
[[Category:Space fighter classes| ]]
[[Category:Ship classifications]]