Orbital defense platform: Difference between revisions

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{{Ratings}}{{Era|H2|H3|FOR|FS|GOO|LE|}}
{{Ratings}}
{{Era|H2|H3|FOR|FS|GOO|LE}}
 
{{Ship
{{Ship
|image=[[Image:Macstationcairolarge1ki.jpg|300px]]
|name            = Orbital Defense Platform
|name=Orbital Defense Platform
|image           = [[Image:Macstationcairolarge1ki.jpg|300px]]
|manufacturer=UNSC
|manufacturer    = [[United Nations Space Command]] [[United Nations Space Command Defense Force|Defence Force]]
|line=
|class           = Weapon Platform
|model=
|height         = 1336 meters (4383.20 feet)
|class=Platform
|slipspace drive = No
|length=
|hull           =
|width=
|countermeasures =
|height=1336 meters (4383.20 feet)
|armament       = 'Super' [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]] (1)
|mass=
|complement     = UNSC Marines, Naval crewmen
|max accel=
|crew           =
|max speed space=
|role           = Defencive Weapons Platform
|max speed air=
|era             = Human-Covenant War
|engine=
|affiliation     = [[United Nations Space Command]] (Defence Force)
|slipspace drive=No
|slipspace speed=
|poweroutput=
|power=
|shield gen=
|hull=
|sensor=
|target=
|navigation=
|avionics=
|countermeasures=
|armament=*'Super' [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]] (1)
|complement=*UNSC Marines
|crew=
|skeleton=
|passengers=
|capacity=
|consumables=
|othersystems=
|firstuse=
|role=
|era=  
|affiliation=[[United Nations Space Command]]
}}
}}


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=== Armament ===
=== Armament ===
The primary and crucial armament is a Mk. V "''Super''" [[MAC]] gun capable of causing near-fatal damage to even a shielded [[Covenant]] capital warship with a single slug. It can shoot a shell at enormous velocities, plus the shell usually weighs 3,000 tons which is a factor to whether or not it can penetrate a enemy ships shields in one shot.<ref name="armory"/> As with starship-mounted MACs, a platform's cannon is commonly controlled by an [[AI]].
The primary and crucial armament is a Mk. V "''Super''" [[MAC]] gun capable of causing near-fatal damage to even a shielded [[Covenant]] capital warship with a single slug. It can shoot a shell at enormous velocities, plus the shell usually weighs 3,000 tons which is a factor to whether or not it can penetrate a enemy ships shields in one shot.<ref name="armory"/> As with starship-mounted MACs, a platform's cannon is commonly controlled by an [[AI]].
Curiously, no sources indicate the presence of additional weapons, such as point defense cannons commonly mounted on [[UNSC]] warships(the absence of such weapons may explain why so many Covenant Boarding Craft were able to latch onto the Platforms orbiting Reach and Earth). However, the possibility that ODPs are armed with such weapons cannot be ruled out yet. The apparent lack of point-defense cannons may be explained by the fact that transient magnetic bursts tend to magnetize the weapons.<ref name="point-defense"/>
Curiously, no sources indicate the presence of additional weapons, such as point defense cannons commonly mounted on [[UNSC]] warships(the absence of such weapons may explain why so many Covenant Boarding Craft were able to latch onto the Platforms orbiting Reach and Earth). However, the possibility that ODPs are armed with such weapons cannot be ruled out yet. The apparent lack of point-defense cannons may be explained by the fact that transient magnetic bursts tend to magnetize the weapons.<ref name="point-defense"/>


=== Power plant ===
=== Power plant ===
 
ODPs do not possess the power generation equipment necessary to fire their main armament. Instead, they receive power from [[Orbital Defense Generator|ground-based generators]]. A possible strategy to neutralize the formidable ODPs would be to disable the generators via ground assault, this would disable the platform's weaponry without destroying it, allowing this valuable prize to be captured. The Covenant used this strategy during their invasion of [[Reach]], dropping troops to the planet's surface and destroying these generators. This paved the way for Covenant forces to completely overwhelm the [[UNSC]] forces in the space battle over Reach.
ODPs do not possess the power generation equipment necessary to fire their main armament. Instead, they receive power from [[Orbital Defense Generator|ground-based generators]]. A possible strategy to neutralize the formidable ODPs would be to disable the generators via ground assault, this would disable the platform's weaponry without destroying it, allowing this valuable prize to be captured. The Covenant used this strategy during their invasion of [[Reach]], dropping troops to the planet's surface and destroying these generators. This paved the way for Covenant forces to completely overwhelm the [[UNSC]] forces in the space battle over Reach.


{{ODF Locations}}
{{ODF Locations}}
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== Deployment ==
== Deployment ==
===[[Reach]]===
===[[Reach]]===
By August [[2552]], [[Reach]] was protected by 20 ODPs. During the [[Battle of Reach]], [[Marines]] and [[SPARTAN-II|Spartans]] were deployed to protect the orbital platforms' planetside power generators but were ultimately unable to do so against determined enemy assaults. The disabling of the defense platforms was a major factor on the battle's outcome<ref>''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', page reference needed</ref>
By August [[2552]], [[Reach]] was protected by 20 ODPs. During the [[Battle of Reach]], [[Marines]] and [[SPARTAN-II|Spartans]] were deployed to protect the orbital platforms' planetside power generators but were ultimately unable to do so against determined enemy assaults. The disabling of the defense platforms was a major factor on the battle's outcome<ref>''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', page reference needed</ref>


===[[Earth]]===
===[[Earth]]===
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==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*All known Orbital Defense Platforms over Earth are named after cities on Earth, most probably because they float over those very locations in [[List of Scientific Inaccuracies in Halo|geosynchronous orbit]]. Some examples are Cairo, Athens, and Malta.
*All known Orbital Defense Platforms over Earth are named after cities on Earth, most probably because they maintain orbit over those very locations in [[List of Scientific Inaccuracies in Halo|geosynchronous orbit]]. Some examples are Cairo, Athens, and Malta.
*The fact that there are 300 ODPs could be a reference to the Battle of Thermopylae, in which 300 Spartans used the phalanx formation to hold their own against an army of more than 200,000 Persians.
*The fact that there are 300 ODPs could be a reference to the Battle of Thermopylae, in which 300 Spartans used the phalanx formation to hold their own against an army of more than 200,000 Persians.


==Sources==
==Sources==
<ref name="point-defense">''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', page 275</ref>
<references/>
<references/>
[[Category:UNSC]]
[[Category:UNSC]]
[[Category:Orbital Defense Platforms| ]]
[[Category:Orbital Defense Platforms| ]]
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