Space fighter

A space fighter, also called a starfighter or a strike fighter and known by the Covenant as Strikecraft, is a small, versatile, and maneuverable spacecraft, primarily used for exoatmospheric interception, interdiction, or space-supremacy operations.

Role
These ships are unable to enter slipspace by themselves, and need to be launched from planetary bases, orbiting space stations, or capital ships to conduct strike-operations against enemy warships, intercept fighters, and provide escort for warships and dropships. Their size varies from a few meters to well over 50 meters. Most known space fighters are spaceplanes, capable of operating in both atmospheric/exoatmospheric (A/X) and suborbital/orbital (S/O) environments. The Forerunner Warrior-Servants often used space fighters in combat. Some space fighters, called weapon-ships, could be remotely-controlled at a ratio of up to a million ships per warrior.

Warships primarily designed to transport and maintain fighter-squadrons are commonly known as carriers. In the UNSC Navy, starfighters were deployed from all warships larger than a corvette, as corvettes were too small to carry anything larger than a shuttle.

Covenant

 * Type-27 Banshee
 * Type-31 Seraph
 * Tarasque heavy fighter
 * Gigas fighter-bomber

UNSC

 * GA-TL1 Longsword
 * YSS-1000 Sabre
 * F-41 Broadsword
 * OF92 Booster Frame

Forerunner

 * Fast attack runner
 * Weapon-ship
 * Z-1800 Phaeton
 * Z-1800 Phaeton