HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon

The HAVOK Thermonuclear Weapon is a highly effective ground based Nuke used by the UNSC.

Description
The HAVOK Thermonuclear Missile is one of the most powerful ground based nuclear ordnance in the UNSC arsenal, mainly used by strategically placing the warhead on a ground target and detonating it with a remote or radio transmission code.

The HAVOK has a thermonuclear yield of 30 megatons and is described as looking like a black half sphere, it has bonding strips on the bottom that allows the HAVOK to be stuck to anyplace necessary. It has a thin slot on the unit’s face to allow the arming key to be inserted.

HAVOKs are used in situations where the UNSC must eliminate Covenant ground targets from an area already claimed by them, or to prevent an area from falling into their hands. However, there are situations where the UNSC will deploy a HAVOK to destroy Covenant Ships deploying ground troops and equipment. HAVOKS are employed often but not always, and are only used when all civilian and military populations have been either evacuated or compromised in the target area.

HAVOK nuclear missiles were carried by the UNSC Spirit of Fire in 2531.

Tactical Uses
On February 12 2535 UNSC NavSpecWep deployed three teams of SPARTAN-IIs on Jericho VII to combat Covenant forces invading the colony. At one point during the engagement Red Team was successfully able to plant a HAVOK Nuke near a Covenant rally point where a Cruiser was to deploy ground forces.

On July 18 2552, during the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV, Blue Team detonated a HAVOK nuclear mine in the city of Cote D'Azur, during the battle taking place on the planet, destroying the city and all the Covenant in it.

In October-December 2552 multiple HAVOK Nuclear Weapons were used during the Battle For Earth, a notable use was around October 21 2552 when Blue Team was deployed to Mount Erebus in the Antarctic to destroy a Covenant excavation force using a HAVOK. Throughout the rest of the battle for Earth key city's and locations were most likely destroyed using HAVOKs to ensure the Covenant did not gain control of these areas; or to eliminate Covenant that had gained controlled of key locations. It is unknown how many civilian and military casualties were sustained due to the subsequent detonations.

Trivia

 * Not likely named after the physics engine Bungie uses, HAVOK. Halo: The Fall of Reach was published in 2001, whereas the HAVOK Physics Engine was not implemented into the series until Halo 2, which was released 3 years later.