Covenant fleet

The Covenant fleet is a general term for the vast space-borne naval components of the Covenant's military forces. Their roles included ship-to-ship combat, orbital bombardment, the deployment of fighters and bombers and the method of delivery for the Covenant's occupational ground forces. At its height, the Covenant fielded thousands of warships, most being able to carry fighters, dropships, ground troops and vehicles; after the Human-Covenant War, most of these fell under the control of the various Covenant remnants. Each Covenant fleet unit is essentially a fully-rounded armada, and is given a unique name with religious connotations similar to how Covenant vessels and colony worlds are named by their beliefs.

Although the Covenant's collective naval forces are referenced in some contexts as the Covenant Navy, the Covenant did not maintain distinct service branches in the same manner as the United Nations Space Command and traditional human militaries; instead, the Covenant fleets fell under the authority of various ministerial organizations.

Great Schism
Throughout the majority of the Covenant civil conflict known as the Great Schism, the Covenant military was violently splintered between those who continued to believe in the Prophets' wisdom and those who followed Arbiter Thel 'Vadam and opposed the Prophets' rule. As the battle raged, the High Prophet of Truth formally transferred command of the navy to the Jiralhanae, a position once exclusively held by the Sangheili. The Sangheili wiped out the majority of the Covenant fleet at the Battle of Installation 00.

Soon after the outbreak of the Schism, Sangheili numbers were reduced by a pair of disasters. At Joyous Exultation, the massive Combined Fleet of Righteous Purpose, headed by Imperial Admiral Xytan 'Jar Wattinree aboard the supercarrier Sublime Transcendence, was consumed by a NOVA bomb. At Onyx, a battle group headed by the cruiser Incorruptible was destroyed by the Forerunner Sentinels that comprised the artificial planet.

Due to this disarray, the only Sangheili fleet to fight in the last battles of the war was the Fleet of Retribution, which was led by the assault carrier Shadow of Intent. During the battles of Voi and the Ark the Jiralhanae-led loyalist fleet was mostly limited to Truth's fleet, which outnumbered the Sangheili three to one by the time of the Battle of Installation 00. This fleet contained a number of battlecruisers and assault carriers, led by Truth's Forerunner Dreadnought.

Organization
Despite the seemingly monolithic nature of its armed forces, the Covenant does not maintain a single standing navy. Instead, its fleets are partitioned between several ministries, expanding and contracting as their parent ministry's influence waxes and wanes in prestige and influence, of which the most notable were the Ministry of Resolution, the Ministry of Fervent Intercession, and the Ministry of Tranquility.

Fleets under the Ministry of Resolution were originally tasked with patrolling Covenant space, protecting shipping and eradicating pirates, but was vastly expanded during the early stages of the Human-Covenant War to serve as deep-space exploration units beyond the fringe, protection for Ministry of Tranquility missionary ships, and front-line units in the conquest and destruction of humanity. As the war with humanity wore on, the Covenant were forced to transfer patrol units to front-line fleets to replace combat losses, hoping to hide the damage humanity was managing to inflict from Sangheili leaders. Being posted to a fleet under the Ministry of Resolution was considered honorable, due to being removed from normal society for extended periods.

Fleets under the Ministry of Fervent Intercession were tasked with locating and securing Forerunner worlds and artifacts, and possessed enough zealots that it was considered a semi-monastic order. Fervent Intercession fleets tended to be smaller, but acted largely independently of any external chain of command except where it served their purposes, but were able to call upon the resources of other fleets, and even directly from the colonies, due to ancient writs that dated back to the formation of the Covenant. Fleets under the Ministry of Fervent Intercession had a formidable reputation even among the Covenant, and were largely used to seize and defend Forerunner sites on human colonies during the war.

Fleets under the Ministry of Tranquility were, ostensibly, tasked with finding Forerunner artifacts and bringing new species into the Covenant fold. In practice, however, they functioned as little more than pirates, frequently picking off relics held by other Covenant fleets, and their so-called missionary ships were often merely slavers and raiders crewed largely by Kig-Yar. Not beholden even to the High Prophets, of whom the Prophet of Regret himself was the former Vice-Minister of Tranquility, these units rarely served as combat units during the Covenant conquest of human colonies, but would arrive to steal whatever relics had been secured from human defenders or their Covenant "allies" in the chaotic aftermath.

Other Covenant ministries are known to have their own forces, though not in such great numbers. In 850 BCE the Ministry of Anticipatory Security sent forces to secure Forerunner relics on Janjur Qom, and escort female San'Shyuum volunteers to High Charity. The disastrous mission led to the ministry's total dissolution, and the punishment of the Minister involved. In 2525, The Ministry of Conversion was technically the only body authorised to send ships to make contact with possible convertees, though this was routinely ignored by the Ministry of Tranquility. The Ministry of Preservation was specifically mandated with putting down local uprisings and secession attempts by the client races, and its forces were led by future Arbiter Ripa 'Moramee before 2531. In 2552, Thon 'Talamee, shipmaster of the Clarity of Faith, escorted Covenant supply convoys under the Ministry of Fortitude, a ministry ostensibly tasked with ensuring the proper distribution of Forerunner relics across the Covenant. The Ministry of Abnegation held authority over the Sangheili Ascetic orders, and the Ministers of Inquisition and Etiology both served in Covenant fleets with some considerable authority.

The largest known fleets have been known to consist of around one hundred starships of all types and variations, and are led by a prominent flagship, which is often an assault carrier or in rare cases a supercarrier. Capital ships, such as the iconic CCS-class battlecruisers, as well as numerous frigates and destroyers, usually serve as escorts to the flagship. Fleets are sustained by numerous logistics vessels, such as agricultural support ships, which are organizationally attached to warship fleets, providing food and supplies. Covenant fleets were divided into tactical battle group formations that were used in specialized roles.

A number of combat legions are often attached to a given Covenant fleet, stationed aboard the various warships available.

The title of a Covenant fleet's commander varies depending on the size and extension of the fleet itself. While smaller fleets or temporary task forces are led by Fleet Masters, larger fleets are commanded by Supreme Commanders. There are also cases where an individual with the title of Shipmaster has had command of a fleet. A fleet's highest-ranking individuals convene in a group known as Council of Masters. In some cases, a Minor Prophet or a San'Shyuum High Councilor is attached to a fleet as a representative of the High Council.

Combined fleets
A combined fleet, as its name implies, is comprised of multiple smaller fleets and is led by a Supreme Commander, or, if of sufficient size, an Imperial Admiral. These fleets have larger duties, such as safeguarding and policing entire regions of Covenant-controlled space on their own. These fleets can have several hundred ships. High Charity was guarded by a combined fleet at all times. Some combined fleets are formed on a strictly temporary, task-oriented basis, such as a major invasion of a key enemy system.

Major categories
Covenant ships were generally organized into four types, if not formalized classes: executioners, the purpose-built warships that formed the bulk of frontline Covenant fleets, dedicated to violence and destruction ; examiners, powerful ships built for tasks vital enough to dictate the survival of worlds and entire species ; procurators, supply vessels that maintained the fleets and fed their crews; and attack ships, smaller, light and nimble ships designed for swift attack and encompassing anything too small to warrant a Shipmaster's chair.


 * Executioners were regarded as a distasteful reminder by the Prophets that the Great Journey depended on the use of violence, and were assigned far from High Charity during times of peace, across the Covenant's expansive border. This made them difficult to bring to bear when the Covenant mobilized for war with humanity, delaying their assignment to the frontlines by years.


 * Examiners were more easily reassigned, and their crews were composed of those considered judicious and bold, but were also more valuable and rare, frequently incorporating recovered Forerunner technology, and Ministries that wished to crew and deploy one needed direct approval from a Hierarch.


 * Procurators were far more common, but were independent of military chains of command or system governors, though usually complied to requests, and needed Hierarch approval to attach to fleets in order to curb the power of the Sangheili. They were also commanded by San'Shyuum Shipmasters, rather than Sangheili, further forcing Sangheili fleets and colonies to depend on the Prophets for their supply lines. When the High Charity fell to the Flood and the Prophet of Truth was killed, many of these ships departed Covenant space with their Prophet commanders and loyal escorts, joining the rest of the San'Shyuum fleeing Sangheili retribution, making them a rare sight in the post-war era.


 * Attack ships were the most common, but were considered beneath the notice of most Fleetmasters, generally being pawned off to Kig-Yar or Jiralhanae crews and assigned to patrol Covenant space, inspecting and escorting shipping that carried the tithes of Covenant worlds or pilgrims to High Charity. Sangheili crews that found themselves assigned to such vessels tended to regard them as inglorious assignments, eager to prove themselves worthy of transfer to more prestigious assignments in battle, such as examiner type ships, but were unenthusiastic about protecting executioner ships when assigned as escorts.

Ship classification codes
The Covenant used a unique classification standard in its fleet, one that is loosely analogous to the hull classification symbols used by the UNSC Navy. The United Nations Space Command assigns three-letter codes for each class of Covenant starship. These codes are transliterations of the primary, secondary, and tertiary classification codes that were used by the Covenant fleet. Each starship is classified based on its role and abilities in a fleet. An example of this three-letter code would be the "ORS" in the ; each letter in the code represents a different role, ability, or design feature within the particular vessel. The letters are ordered by importance of the feature. The known letters used in the classification system are A, C, D, O, P, R, S, and V. Of these known letters, only the following representations are known:
 * The O denotes "Ordained". It is not a mission type but rather denotes that the starship is outfitted with a Forerunner augmentation.
 * The R represents "Reverence", meaning the vessel can conduct reconnaissance missions and excavate Forerunner artifacts.
 * The S means "Salvation", which refers to any vessel armed with an energy projector.

It is unknown if the repetition of a letter in a class' classification — such as the — has any significance. It is also important to note that while Covenant fleet personnel occasionally referred to their vessel's class by one of its three-letter codes, there was not a specific class that a code belonged to. For example, Incorruptible was occasionally referred to as a "Reverence-class cruiser", although it was actually an ORS-class heavy cruiser. The term "Reverence-class" truly refers to multiple vessels ranging from cruisers to small scout ships, such as the diminutive.

Space stations
Awakening the Nightmare DLC for Halo Wars 2 shows the remains of the Covenant holy city High Charity that was not destroyed after the premature halo firing by John-117. The remains are surrounded by a massive containment shield as well as thousands of Sentinels. Commander Voridus of Atriox's Banished became interested in the containment site. Ignoring Atriox's orders not to enter High Charity's crash site, Voridus deactivated the Sentinels guarding the site then breached the containment shield in an attempt to gain materials and weapons in salvage from the wreckage to be used in skirmishes against the UNSC Spirit of Fire. After breaching the shield a small scouting party was sent in, subsequently each Jiralhanae who entered the remains of High Charity shortly fell before the Flood onslaught and were infected. The Flood has been lurking within the remains since crashing down to the Ark. Banished forces led by Voridus and Pavium were successful in holding off the Flood, Voridus went into a Forerunner structure to reactivate the Sentinel defense network. Upon its reactivation, the Sentinels were able to resume their contamination duty and went to work eliminating any Flood threat outside the containment shield aided by Banished forces who destroyed a Proto-Gravemind nearby before it became a Gravemind and were then sent by Atriox to help the Sentinels finish the job.
 * High Charity - The Covenant holy city and site of government; absorbed by the Flood and destroyed by Spartan John-117 at Installation 00.
 * Unyielding Hierophant - Destroyed by Spartan Blue Team, led by John-117.


 * Lawgiver - Unknown status, possibly destroyed
 * Ascendant Justice - Captured by UNSC, destroyed during Operation: FIRST STRIKE in 2552. Slipspace drive was refitted to UNSC Gettysburg.


 * Enduring Conviction - Destroyed over Installation 00 by Aggressor Sentinels in 2559.
 * Resplendent Fervor - Aft section destroyed.
 * Seeker of Truth - Unknown status
 * Shadow of Intent - Returned to Sanghelios after ceasefire in March 2553
 * Solemn Penance - Unknown status
 * Clarity of Faith - Crash-landed on an unidentified moon in August 2552
 * Song of Retribution – Unknown status
 * Day of Jubilation – Destroyed
 * Breath of Annihilation – In the control of Sali 'Nyon's Covenant faction.


 * Long Night of Solace - Destroyed over Reach on Operation: UPPER CUT.
 * Sublime Transcendence - Destroyed


 * Blight of the Profane - Unknown status
 * Incorruptible - Destroyed in the Onyx Conflict


 * Triumphant Declaration - Unknown status
 * Harbinger of Piety - Unknown status
 * Indulgence of Conviction - Destroyed in the Battle of Voi.
 * Pious Inquisitor - Destroyed in the Skirmish on Pious Inquisitor
 * Purity of Spirit - Unknown status
 * Sacred Promise (hypothesized) - Unknown status, probably destroyed
 * Truth and Reconciliation - Destroyed in the Battle of Installation 04
 * CCS-U624 - Unknown status
 * CCS-U321 - Destroyed in the Battle of Arcadia


 * Unrelenting - Destroyed in the Battle of Chi Ceti
 * Rapid Conversion - Unknown status
 * Spear of Light

Unknown classes

 * Infinite Sacrifice - Unknown status
 * Unidentified cruiser (Particular Justice) - Destroyed in the Fall of Reach


 * ''Bloodied Spirit - Destroyed
 * Esteem - Unknown status
 * Reverence - Destroyed
 * Radiant Perception - Destroyed
 * Proclamation's Tithe - Status unknown

Other classes

 * Absolution - Destroyed
 * Far Sight Lost - Destroyed
 * Rapturous Arc - Destroyed
 * Retribution's Thunder - Destroyed

Frigates

 * Tenebrous - Destroyed
 * Twilight Compunction - Unknown status
 * Revenant - Destroyed
 * Unflinching Resolve - Retired, later reclaimed by Servants of the Abiding Truth


 * Contrition - Unknown status
 * Penance - Unknown status


 * Ardent Prayer - Destroyed in Operation: UPPER CUT.
 * Elegy's Lament - Stolen by the Banished
 * Quester of Glory - Fell into Sangheili control during the Great Schism; renamed Mayhem


 * Infinite Fire - Fell into Sangheili control during the Great Schism; renamed The Lookout

Unknown class

 * Vengeful Vitality - A stealth corvette used by Mken 'Scre'ah'ben.
 * Adherent - Unknown status


 * Infinite Succor - Destroyed, sent into a star to prevent the Flood from escaping.


 * Piety - Active, all crew killed in capture of a Huragok.

Unknown class

 * A Psalm Every Day - Unknown status
 * Commitment and Patience - Unknown status
 * Devotion - Unknown status
 * Infinite Spoils - Unknown status
 * Minor Transgression - Destroyed
 * Paragon - Unknown status
 * Pitiless - Unknown status
 * Serene Certainty - Unknown status
 * Unrelenting - Unknown status
 * Unwavering Discipline - Destroyed
 * Valorous Salvation - Unknown status

Important personnel

 * Imperial Admiral Xytan 'Jar Wattinree
 * Supreme Commander Thel 'Vadamee (current Arbiter)
 * Supreme Commander Luro 'Taralumee
 * Supreme Commander Rho 'Barutamee
 * Fleet Master Voro Nar 'Mantakree
 * Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadumee
 * Shipmaster Orna 'Fulsamee
 * Shipmaster Jul 'Mdamaee
 * Unidentified Shipmaster (Righteous Vigilance)

List of appearances

 * Halo: The Fall of Reach
 * Adjunct
 * Halo: Combat Evolved
 * Halo: The Flood
 * Halo: First Strike
 * Halo 2
 * Halo Graphic Novel
 * The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor
 * Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
 * Halo: Uprising
 * Halo 3
 * Halo: Contact Harvest
 * Halo: The Cole Protocol
 * Halo Wars: Genesis
 * Halo Wars
 * Halo 3: ODST
 * Sadie's Story
 * Halo Legends
 * Origins
 * The Duel
 * The Package
 * Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
 * Dirt
 * ''Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian
 * Stomping on the Heels of a Fuss
 * The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole
 * The Mona Lisa
 * The Return


 * Halo: Blood Line
 * Remember Reach
 * Deliver Hope
 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo: Fall of Reach
 * Boot Camp
 * Covenant
 * Invasion
 * Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
 * Terminals
 * Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn
 * Halo 4 (Prologue Only)
 * Halo: Initiation
 * Halo: Escalation
 * Halo 2: Anniversary
 * Terminals
 * Hunt the Truth
 * Halo: Hunters in the Dark
 * Halo: Fleet Battles
 * Halo 5: Guardians
 * Limited Edition
 * Halo: Shadow of Intent
 * Halo: Legacy of Onyx