UNSC Iroquois

The UNSC Iroquois was a UNSC destroyer commanded by Commander Jacob Keyes. It was constructed sometime in April of 2552. Three months after leaving drydock, on July 17 of 2552, it was the first ship to respond to the Covenant attack on Sigma Octanus IV. It was one of many surviving ships after the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV.

Specifications
The Iroquois was outfitted with two Magnetic Accelerator Cannon defense system, 26 oversized Archer Missile pods, and three Shiva-class nuclear missiles.

The Iroquois was covered with two meters of Titanium-A battleplating and Vanadium steel alloy. It was painted with non-regulation, red war stripes painted on each side due to the name "Iroquois," a reference to an early Native American tribe. The ship also features a circular shaped bridge.

Early operations
The Iroquois was commanded by Commander Jacob Keyes during its first months after commission.

During the Covenant invasion of Sigma Octanus IV, the Iroquois was the first initial force to respond to the attack. The Iroquois engaged on the Covenant fleet which consisted of one carrier, one destroyer and two frigates. Though outnumbered, the Iroquois managed to destroy the Covenant destroyer and frigates using a decisive maneuver and a Shiva-class nuclear missile. The carrier avoided the engagement, headed groundside to deploy its Covenant ground forces and left the system. The Iroquois, still in orbit and badly damaged by the maneuver pulled off by Commander Keyes, deployed the SPARTAN-IIs to engage the Covenant forces on the surface of Sigma Octanus IV towards Cote d'Azur.

After the engagement, the Iroquois needed major repairs due to the damage it received; the ship needed to replacement for its underside armor, a full engine overhaul, 15% replacements of electronic systems, five new superconducting magnets, as well as a replenished supply of Archer missiles, MAC rounds and Shiva nuclear warheads. The ship was repaired on the UNSC Cradle, a refit station that arrived at Sigma Octanus system along with a UNSC fleet commanded by Admiral Michael Stanforth. However, full repairs to the Iroquois were not possible as the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV began with the arrival of a larger Covenant fleet.

Battle of Sigma Octanus IV
The Iroquois participated in the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV, despite not being fully repaired. During the engagement, the Iroquois spotted a Covenant stealth corvette in orbit above the planet and attempted to destroy it with a barrage of Archer missiles. The barrage missed its target when the corvette jammed the missile guidance locks. In response, the Iroquois rammed the corvette, stopping Covenant ground forces from transmitting data from the planet's surface. With the Covenant ground operation foiled by SPARTAN-II Blue Team, the remaining Covenant vessels fled the system.

Shortly after the battle, the Iroquois was tagged by a Covenant spy probe, subsequently leading the Covenant to the planet of Reach.

Fate
The ship's fate is unknown, although it is probable that it was destroyed in the Covenant invasion of Reach.

Crew

 * Commanding Officer
 * Commander Jacob Keyes


 * Bridge Crew
 * Lieutenant Aki Hikowa - Weapons Officer
 * Lieutenant Hall - Operations Officer
 * Lieutenant Jaggers - Navigation Officer (replaced with Ensign William Lovell after instance of insubordination)
 * Lieutenant Dominique - Communications Officer

Trivia

 * The Iroquois Confederacy (Haudenosaunee, also known as the League of Peace and Power, Five Nations, or Six Nations) is a group of First Nations/Native Americans. It was originally made up of five tribes: The Mohawk, the Oneida, the Onondaga, the Cayuga, and the Seneca. A sixth tribe, the Tuscarora, joined after the original five nations were formed. They are also sometimes called the People of the Long House. They are often referred to as Iroquois, a term that some members of the group consider derogatory.
 * It was the first ship to perform the Keyes Loop.
 * Commander Keyes actually liked the war stripes painted on the ship, but intended to have them removed anyway. Both stripes were damaged during the execution of the Keyes Loop. The CO of the Cradle offered to repaint them for Keyes, but he refused and chose to leave them the way they were as a reminder of how close a call he had with death.
 * Prior to the battle, Commander Keyes was promoted to Captain by Admiral Stanforth due to his admirable and decisive actions upon engaging the previous Covenant fleet.
 * The UNSC Iroquois shares its name with a modern-day destroyer, HMCS Iroquois, of the Canadian Forces Maritime Command.

List of appearances

 * Halo: The Fall of Reach