UNSC Navy: Difference between revisions

|branch= [[UNSC Armed Forces]]

The '''UNSC Navy''' ('''UNSCN''')<ref>'''[[Halo: Glasslands]]''', ''page 64''</ref> is the branch of the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] [[UNSC Armed Forces|Armed Forces]] responsible for space warfare and operations, though they still operate in terrestrial oceans with their maritime arm. Its roles include [[space warfare]], [[orbital bombardment]], the deployment of atmospheric and [[space fighter]]s, and the delivery of [[UNSC Marine Corps|UNSC Marines]] into combat.

Prior to the [[Human-Covenant War]], the UNSC Navy had a large fleet of warships, including many [[capital ship]]s and [[Space fighter|single-ship craft]]. However, beginning with the near-total destruction of the [[Colonial Military Administration]]'s [[Battle Group 4]] at the [[First Battle of Harvest]], followed by the loss of thirteen out of forty ships at the [[Second Battle of Harvest]], the UNSC Navy sustained heavy losses of materiel and personnel throughout the war against the Covenant. Going on the offensive from [[2526]] to [[2543]], the bulk of the UNSC Navy under Admiral Preston Cole fought a series of victorious but enormously costly actions against the [[Covenant fleet]].{{Ref/Reuse|evolutions cole}} To buy the fleet time to prepare, Cole launched [[Operation: SILENT STORM]] where [[Task Force Yama]] inflicted as much damage as possible on the Covenant through stealth to give them pause while [[Battle Group X-Ray]] kept the main Covenant force distracted. The task force was able to cause substantial damage to the operations of the Covenant [[Fleet of Inexorable Obedience]] and caused heavy damage to the Covenant planet of [[Zhoist]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]'''</ref>

Also in July 2557, the UNSC launched a massive fleet to the [[Korinth Prior system]] after the discovery of the debris field of the [[Etran Harborage]], a Forerunner [[shield world]] destroyed in [[2531]] by the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}. The fleet launched a massive bombardment of [[nuclear weapon]]s upon arrival, obliterating the shield world remnants in an act of asset denial as the field was too large for the UNSC to cover effectively.<ref name="Renegades24">'''[[Halo: Renegades]]''', ''Chapter 24''</ref>

*[[Logistical Operations Command]], or NavLogCom, oversees the construction, maintenance, and distribution of supplies and matériel, including ships, ammunition, replacement parts, and food.  

Ships of the UNSC Navy also carry a number of [[GA-TL1 Longsword|GA-TL1 Longsword interceptors]]. These are armed with [[110mm rotary cannon]]s and [[ASGM-10 missile]]s, and sometimes a [[Moray space mine]] system or even a single Shiva-class nuclear missile. They can also be remotely-operated and used to carry a remotely-detonated Shiva missile, which, when detonated, effectively destroys both the Longsword and its selected target.<ref name="evg112">'''Halo: The Essential Visual Guide''', ''page 112''</ref>

Despite all of this firepower, however, UNSC warships during the Human-Covenant War had great difficulty in defeating Covenant ships even with a numerical advantage. It typically took multiple hits from a ship-based MAC weapon to disable a Covenant ship's shields, although larger, [[Orbital Defense Platform|ODP-based]] "Super MACs" fire a round that can literally shatter Covenant capital ships.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 297''</ref> Archer missiles had to be used in tremendous volumes to breach Covenant shield systems. Even with their shields down, Covenant ships have been noted to remain operational after multiple direct hits from normal MAC rounds. Throughout the [[Human-Covenant War]], this advantage in firepower and shielding gave the Covenant an effective 3:1 ratio when in battle against the UNSC. However, as of the [[Timeline|post-war era]], thanks to Forerunner technology and the [[Huragok]] retrieved from [[Onyx]], UNSC ships have become faster and stronger, making them more effective against Covenant vessels.

[[File:HM-Infinity.png|thumb|left|250px|Numerous types of UNSC Navy ship classes in orbit of a [[planet]].]]

Th primary shipyards utilized by the UNSC Navy are on and in orbit of [[Mars]],<ref name="havesmoa">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-have-s-moa '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Have S'moa'']</ref> with at least some UNSC ship production handled by the [[Reyes-McLees Shipyards]] over Mars.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 238''</ref> [[Tribute]] is also host to prominent shipbuilding yards. By the end of the Covenant War, the shipyards orbiting Tribute and Mars began building a new generation of {{Class|Strident|heavy frigate}}s and {{Class|Anlace|light frigate}}s,<ref name="WFStrident">'''Halo: Warfleet''', ''p.38-39''</ref> among other warships for the UNSC to replace losses.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-buzz-generating '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Buzz Generating'']</ref> Additionally, [[SinoViet Heavy Machinery]] manufactured and decommissioned {{Class|Paris|heavy frigate}}s<ref name="alexandria">'''Halo: Reach''', campaign level, ''[[New Alexandria]]''</ref> and ''Stalwart''-class light frigates<ref name="WFAmber">'''Halo: Warfleet''', ''p.36-37''</ref> on [[Reach]] prior to the [[Fall of Reach]]. UNSC naval design guidelines emphasise that the command crew of a given ship be given visibility of the surrounding area, a tradition hearkening back to the age of naval warfare on [[Earth]].<ref name="WFHalberd">'''Halo: Warfleet''', ''p.32-33''</ref> Because of this, UNSC naval vessels are prone to have [[bridge]]s exposed to space.