Ket-pattern battlecruiser

CCS-class Battlecruiser

The CCS-class Battlecruiser is a heavy warship classification in the Covenant Navy. CCS (its hull classification) stands for Strike Battlecruiser. This classification of heavy warships are long, vaguely organic-shaped spacecraft. They are armed with Covenant Pulse Laser Turrets and Plasma Turrets of unknown number. This style of ship is the main heavy warship in the Covenant and Covenant Separatists' armada and is one of the types of ships classified under the Capital Ship category. It is commonly seen in the Halo games.

Internal Systems
The CCS classification is the most well known type of Covenant warship, one of the few which the UNSC has been able to gain decent intelligence from, via the Truth and Reconciliation in particular. It appears to be capable of both space warfare and supporting ground operations, capable of deploying upwards of a thousand troops of various races, as well as support vehicles and aircraft.

Control Room
The Control Room of a CCS classification, known as the "bridge" in human terminology, is located, as with on all Covenant starships, at the midsection of the battlecruiser, protected by thick armor in addition to its shields. A raised platform in the center of the spacious room ringed with holographic controls is presumed to be the Combat Information Center, or CIC, of the Control Room. These controls are most likely for fire control, navigation, sensors, ship diagnostics and internal security monitors. In front of the command center is a large holographic "banner" which most likely is used for navigation purposes. The crew in the control room usually consists of an Sangheili/Jiralhanae Ship Master who stands on the central platform and is in charge of giving orders and commanding his vessel, accompanied by other warriors that patrol the lower level of the control room, who are responsible for maintaining the security of the ship.

Gravity Lift
Like most warships in the Covenant fleet, the CCS-class is also equipped with a single ventrally-mounted gravity lift, enabling the quick and easy transportation of personnel, vehicles, equipment and supplies to a planet's surface. Objects or people placed in it are propelled upward or downward rapidly by an anti-gravity field, and are able to gently disembark, despite the high speeds occupants can reach.



Brig
The CCS classification has at least two brigs for holding prisoners. Each is a rectangular room with four forcefield-secured cells on either side, for a total of eight per brig. Each cell can accommodate a large number of prisoners, although normally only one is placed in each cell, probably for security purposes against the possibility of an organised escape attempt. The fields are impenetrable to all hand held weaponry, projectile or energy, but can be lowered by a holographic control panel on a raised platform on the far side of the brig opposite the entrance, the guards post. The cells are arranged at the periphery of a spacious room, with guards patrolling the central section. The guards usually have active camouflage, using their stealth to monitor the prisoners.

Hangar Bays
Main Article: Shuttle Bay

There are at least four hangar bays aboard the CCS classification - two to starboard and two to port side. They are each three-tiered, with a large amount of space between the floors and ceilings of each level. Each bay contains various vehicles, such as the Spirit-class dropship, on the bottom floor, with a pillar-like platform used for dismounting passengers rising up and connecting to the second level. Covenant troops are arrayed upon the second and third floors, with multiple stationary plasma shields and Shade infantry plasma turrets.

A plasma magnetic containment field operates at the mouth of the hangars, retaining atmosphere while in space transit. This field can be activated and deactivated by a holographic panel, allowing dropships and Banshee flyers to enter and leave the hangars.

Corridors
Most of the ship is comprised of a labrynthine network of corridors, with circuitry concealed behind purple metal casings. At junctions, gaps in the ceiling and floor appear to accomodate Huragok maintenance personnel, allowing them to float between levels easily and quickly.

Doors
There are various, virtually indestructible doors upon the CCS classification. Unlocked ones are outlined in purple light, while locked ones have crimson light. While locked doors can be forcibly opened by electromnagnetic pulse detonations, such as nearby Plasma Grenade explosions, they are protected from electronic intrusion by a 128,000-bit modulating encryption key

Appearances
Several CCS-class battlecruisers have been seen throughout the Halo campaign, most notably the Truth and Reconciliation, Purity of Spirit and possibly the Sacred Promise. They have also been seen in Halo 3 glassing the Earth city Voi, Kenya in search for the portal that leads to the Ark, they are also later seen as Covenant Separatists glass Voi in an attempt to stop a Flood Infection. They are larger and more heavily armed than heavy cruisers and destroyers, but even the CCS-class battlecruiser is itself overshadowed by the Covenant Supercruiser, Assault Carrier and Covenant Supercarriers. Like most Covenant ships, the CCS is built to a near atomic scale.

Halo Trilogy Appearances
Truth and Reconciliation (Level)

The Great Journey (Level)

Crow's Nest (Level)

Tsavo Highway (Level)

Trivia

 * Could be 7 Reference: C = 3rd letter of alphabet, S = 19th letter of alphabet: 3+3+19=25: 2+5=7.
 * A "CCS-class Battlegroup" generally consists of at least three CCS-class ships.
 * During the Battle of Voi a Battlecruiser that flies overhead SPARTAN-117 has the Marathon logo on its side.
 * The Cruisers featured in Halo 3 have 4 fins instead of 2, such as the Truth and Reconciliation in Halo: CE.
 * The Cruisers from Halo: CE and Halo 2 bear a resemblance to an ancient arthropod of the Cambrian Era called Anomalocaris.
 * During the Arbiter's assault on the Delta Halo, a Jiralhanae-occupied CCS Battlecruiser can be seen in orbit over the sea near the Scarab walker. This Cruiser is later taken over by Rtas 'Vadum and allied Sangheili.
 * The CCS-Battlecruiser is one of the Covenant's largest ships.
 * The only CCS-Battlecruiser to ever be controlled by humans was the Truth and Reconciliation.
 * The Grav Lift on the botton of the cruisers is shaped like a brute proximity mine.

Related Links

 * Truth and Reconciliation