Orion-class assault carrier: Difference between revisions

*[[Capital ship]]<ref name="canon fodder armory"/>

|role=*Troop deployment and aid<ref name="canon fodder armory"/>

*Maintaining aerospace control<ref name="canon fodder armory"/>

|mass=Less than 35 million metric tons<ref name="cannon fodder"/>

|armament=*Two [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]]s<ref name="fb"/>

*[[Missile]] batteries<ref name="fb"/>

*[[Point-defense gun]]s<ref name="fb"/>

|complement=*[[UNSC Marine Corps|UNSC Marines]]<ref name="canon fodder armory"/>

*[[Tank]]s<ref name="canon fodder armory"/>

*Cargo lighters<ref name="canon fodder armory"/>

*Resource gatherers<ref name="canon fodder armory"/>

|era=*[[Insurrection]]<ref name="canon fodder armory"/>

*[[Human-Covenant War]]<ref name="canon fodder armory"/>

|affiliation=[[UNSC Navy]]<ref name="canon fodder armory"/>

The '''''Orion''-class assault carrier''' is a class of [[capital ship]]s in service with the [[UNSC Navy]] during the [[Insurrection]] and the [[Human-Covenant War]].<ref name="canon fodder armory"/>

Considered state-of-the-art when it was introduced, the ''Orion''-class assault carrier incorporated the miniaturized and reconfigurable automated factories and chemical processors that were commonly found in [[Colony ship|colony support vessels]], allowing the carriers to produce fuel, spare parts, and rarely even complete combat vehicles without outside assistance. As such, each ''Orion''-class assault carrier holds a number of cargo lighters and resource gatherers to support its troops and support ships in harsh expeditionary environments.<ref name="canon fodder armory"/> Of moderate tonnage by carrier standards, the ''Orion'' outmasses the {{Class|Poseidon|light carrier}} but is outmassed by the {{Class|Epoch|heavy carrier}}.<ref name="cannon fodder">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-in-the-loop ''Halo Waypoint'': 'Canon Fodder - In the Loop]</ref> These carriers also carry complements of [[UNSC Marine Corps|UNSC Marines]] and [[tank]]s.<ref name="canon fodder armory"/>

The ''Orion''-class assault carrier is armed with two heavy [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]]s, which serve as the carrier's primary weapon. In addition, the assault carrier is outfitted with numerous [[missile]] batteries and [[point-defense gun]]s as secondary and tertiary weaponry, respectively.<ref name="fb"/>

The ''Orion''-class assault carrier was built for war against rebellious [[human colonies]] during the [[Insurrection]]. The class was conceived as a new type of carrier that could directly aid the [[United Nations Space Command]]'s sustained ground operations in addition to maintaining aerospace control over contested worlds. Throughout the Insurrection, the appearance of a [[battle group]] led by an ''Orion''-class assault carrier was seen as a symbol of the UNSC's military strength.<ref name="canon fodder armory"/>

As the [[Human-Covenant War]] began in [[2525]], ''Orion''-class assault carriers commonly served as [[flagship]]s, serving in numerous battles throughout the [[Outer Colonies]] in desperate defensive actions against the [[Covenant]]. The Covenant War saw the destruction of most ''Orion''-class carriers as many of these vessels sacrificed themselves to buy time for [[civilian]]s and troops to be evacuated to the [[Inner Colonies]]. The remaining vessels of the ''Orion'' class formed the core of long-range battle groups that attempted to disrupt Covenant supply lines and staging areas, with limited success.<ref name="canon fodder armory"/>