Fuel rod

Fuel rod is a colloquial name for a form of explosive munitions used in several Covenant weapon systems. Fuel rods are caseless, transparent projectiles, containing green, radioactive material. Once they strike the target, the radioactive materials contained in the projectile detonate.

Fuel rods come in several types, including Class-2 and Class-3. The Class-2 fuel rods are unguided, 38mm in diameter, and are used in the Type-33 Light Anti-Armor Weapon. The fuel rod cannons mounted on the Anti-air Wraith and the Banshee use the heavier Class-3 fuel rods, which have a greater range and a capability to track heat signatures. The rounds fired by the Type-51 Carbine are similar to fuel rods, on a smaller scale and without their explosive effects.

Fuel rods are most often used in an anti-armor or anti-air role, but are also devastatingly effective against infantry. They are essentially the Covenant equivalent to the UNSC's M19 surface-to-surface missiles.

Though widely used among UNSC personnel, "fuel rod" is actually an informal term supposedly originating from common popular culture depictions of nuclear fuel rods. 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.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Combat Evolved
 * Halo 2
 * Halo 3
 * Halo 3: ODST
 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo: The Flood
 * Halo: First Strike
 * Halo: Graphic Novel
 * Halo: Helljumper
 * Halo Legends