The existence of human interstellar civilization rests entirely on the relative ubiquity of Slipspace-capable starships. The diversity of types, classes, and designs for human spacecraft within this vast domain is extensive, yet in all of its complexity. The basic framework for these vessels remains both consistent and effective.
Bridge
UNSC starships traditionally place their primary crew stations at the front or top of the ship, with good visibility of the surrounding area. The ship's Al is also housed here, where it can most easily direct crew functions and supervise ship operations. Ship controls are deceptively simple and intuitive, with expert system-mediated readouts and intelligent analysis of optimal actions making many tasks routine. With recent ship classes being introduced, the top or side positioned bridge has become an observation deck with the main bridge being buried deep within the structure of the ship.
Structure
Broadly referred to as "Titanium-A," stacked nanotube-reinforced titanium and elastic polymer composites provide excellent protection against both hyper velocity impacts and directed energy weapons.Warships are fitted with thick plates. More advanced armour plating, which was introduced late in the Human Covenant War, incorporates superconducting elements to lessen the effectiveness of plasma weapons. More armour advancements have been made with the emergence of the Syndicate War.
UNSC navy ships are typically fitted with Titanium A2 Battle plating. The A2 variant of the armour is chemically altered even further on the molecular level to produce a stronger plate for ship hulls and to defend against energy weapons like plasma and energy projectors. First appearing on the latest ships following the end of the Human Covenant War. An A3 variant is currently in development by ONI's materials and research group.
Deraxium B2 under plating is a composite layer used in the hull of UNSC ships to radiate heat from the ship. Also, filled with a specialized foaming layer to stop the hull from having holes in the event a ship is damaged.
Titanium C3 is the third and final layer in UNSC ship design. Like the A2 armour, it is also chemically altered further on the molecular level to strengthen its integrity.
The Mk4 Ablative Stealth Coating is a specialized coating used on UNSC stealth ships to help with stealth protocols. The downsides from using these coatings are that over time the coating becomes warn off and must be completely reapplied with care, which is an often lengthy process
Sensors
Laser and radar scanners are used to actively track enemies and nearby environmental hazards, and military vessels may deploy antenna arrays and detectors that passively monitor surrounding space for anomalous energy sources. Many ships also carry sensor probes that can be fired from coilguns (or Magnetic Accelerator Cannons on warships) to screen ahead of the ship as it advances into unknown territory.
M7 Osprey Sensor/Detection/Communications Suite
The Osprey sensor and communications system is a dual-purpose system used on UNSC warships. The first section is the main communications dishes and antenna. These allow for battlefield communications, linking with fleet communications, and system net communications (SYSNET) on ultra low frequencies to avoid detection. The second part, is the detection unit which uses advanced radar, and other detection devices to locate objects of interest and to navigate the ship.
Maneuver Drives
UNSC ships use fusion rockets for propulsion, generating both power and direct thrust. The hot plasma exhaust is dangerous but allows for high mobility, particularly with inertial compensators that minimize the effects of rapid acceleration and manoeuvring within the ship. Many ships use a combination of high-thrust and high-efficiency engines to balance reaction mass consumption and acceleration at different stages of a journey. For delicate and slow movements, ships use simpler chemical thrusters.
Fusion Drives
Fusion drives are the propulsion systems used on UNSC spacecraft.
Mk6 Specialized Emergency Booster
The Specialized Emergency Booster o r SEB is a type of thruster placed on specialized hard points on the ships hull to allow to do certain manoeuvres to evade, or even escape a planet's gravity well. After use, these thrusters must be replaced.
Power
One or more thermonuclear fusion reactors are integral to a ship's manoeuvres drives, and smaller backup power plants provide power when the engines are not active, or in the event they are damaged Fusion reactors introduced after the Covenant War are a fraction of the weight for the same output because they incorporate Covenant-derived radiation shielding and magnetic confinement systems
Mk5 Hanley Fusion Reactor
The Hanley Mk5 Fusion reactor is the new series of reactors introduced on newer UNSC ships. The reactor is powered by Deuterium. Scalable to ship class
Translight Engines
Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engines (SFTE) allow a ship to travel Faster-than-light by refolding local space-time, generating a quantum singularity and "jumping into slipspace at a precisely controlled speed and energy level. While pre-calculating a destination solution is possible, even the best-plotted routes suffer variation in arrival time and emergence point, which grows exponentially on long trips. UNSC fleets assemble at staging areas close to the target before making a final slipspace trip, to minimize the chance of ships arriving piecemeal.
Series VII CODEN SED-2562X Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine
This is the latest series of translight engines used by the UNSC. Because they are military drives, they are far more accurate than their civilian counterparts.
Naval Weapons
The implements employed by the UNSC for ship-to-ship warfare are both awesome in power and diverse in design and function.
MAC
Magnetic Accelerator Cannons (MACs) are large, electromagnetic launchers that are typically mounted to a ship's horizontal spar, and capable of firing multi-ton projectiles at extraordinarily high velocities. A number of kill vehicles ("smart slugs") and special mission packages ('sleds") can be fired from a MAC, but simple kinetic projectiles are the answer to most tactical questions, and do so with lethal efficiency.
M71AME MAC
**M72-1 Onager MAC
The M72, is an ultra light turreted version of a MAC gun. Capable of having a 360 degree firing arc at the cost of penetrative abilities. Fires a 250 ton Ferric Tungsten Slug at 25km/s
M74-2AME Light MAC
The M74 is a MAC gun used by corvette class vessels. Its firing power is capable of a Mark 16 Breakwater coil gun. The M74, fires a 500 ton Ferric Tungsten Slug at 30km/s
M75-3AME Light MAC
The M75 MAC is typically mounted on frigate sized vessels. What makes this gun unique is its ability to fire a burst of three slugs before it has to be reloaded. These fire a 600 ton Ferric Tungsten Slug at 30km/s
M76-4AME MAC
The M76 MAC is used solely by destroyers. The M76 has a large main spinal mount with another smaller MAC that can fire a variety of other kill packages besides your basic MAC round. The M76 fires 800 Ferric Tungsten Slugs at 90km/s
M77-5AME Heavy MAC
The M77 MAC, is typically used by large UNSC capital ships and defence stations. These guns are capable of firing a 3000 ton Ferric Tungsten slug 12,000km/s.
M78-6AME Super Heavy MAC
The M78 Super MAC is used by the largest UNSC capital ships. These guns are capable of firing a 5000 ton Ferric Tungsten slug at 30,000km/s.
Missile Delivery Systems
UNSC warships are generally fitted with several missile pods that fire guided missiles, which unerringly track on their designated targets. Missiles fired in a volley are a mix of conventional high explosive, electromagnetic pulse, jammer, decoy, and bomb-pumped beam warheads in order to complicate enemy countermeasures.
ASGM-10 Missile
The M57 Rapier is used by UNSC fighters as a dedicated ranged weapon.
ASGM-11 Fighter Missile
These missiles are an adaptive missile carried by smaller fighter like craft, unlike the M57 Javelin which is used by deep space interceptors.
M5A6 Streak Defensive Missile
Streak missiles are the UNSC's anti fighter and anti missile. Used by all ship classes to intercept enemy fighters and projectiles, these smaller missiles are packed in tightly in their dedicated pods in the hundreds depending on the class.
M49 Ares Anti-Ship Missile
The Ares missile is a UNSC antiship missile. Not as common as Archer missiles, but unlike their highly advanced cousin, they are a faster missile due to the limited weight they have from the lack of guidance parts. Older ships are more commonly seen sporting them.
M1 Javelin Anti-Ship Missile
This missile is high speed missile used to strike quickly and efficiently.
RIM-442 Anubis EMPM
The Rim-442 Anubis is the UNSC's response to having the ability to disable enemy ship systems through an electromagnetic pulse. These missiles are used on nearly almost all ships, even fighters with their own specialized version.
M1 Bloodhound Clandestine Missiles
The Bloodhound missile is a newer missile replacing the use of conventional missiles on UNSC stealth craft. The Bloodhound is one of the first functional stealth missiles being able to be used by stealth craft. Notably, the Hesperus-Class Prowler was one of the first stealth craft to use such missiles. Soon newer iterations of stealth craft were fitted with missile pods to support these. Like the missile, the pods have the ability to be discretely deployed to fire missiles.
M58 Archer Anti-Ship Missile
The M58 Archer missile is the most highly utilized missile by the UNSC. These missiles are common on frigates, corvettes, and smaller craft where they do not take up as much critical space, unlike the M60 Archer. These missiles are linked with one another with a small AI to increase effectiveness and survivability by confusing point defence networks. M58 missiles are carried in pods of forty.
M60 Archer Anti-Ship Missile
The M60 Archer missile is another of the UNSC's most common weapon outfitted on ships. The M60 variant of the Archer missile platform is a heavier variation most commonly used by ships in the heavy destroyer class to carriers.
These missiles are linked with one another with a small AI to increase effectiveness and survivability by confusing point defence networks. M60 missiles are carried in pods of twenty-six
M4 Howler Missiles
The M4 Howler Missile is a long range missile employed by larger UNSC ships typically in the cruiser and above range. These missiles are capable of long travel times and can cause a devastating blow to enemy ships. A pod can only hold a single missile.
M97 Lancer Missiles
M40 Longbow Anti-Ship Missile
Nuclear Delivery Systems
The UNSC's nuclear delivery system pairs a delivery vehicle with a separate, modular warhead. These warheads are kept separate from the delivery vehicle except when needed for combat. Nuclear shaped-charge warheads are refereed to as "lances," using a fusion bomb to create and accelerate a plasma jet to realistic velocities. The damaging mechanism is kinetic, not thermal or radiation.
M40 Fusion Rocket
The M40 Fusion rocket is a large scale missile capable of travelling across a system. Using a fusion drive to propel the rocket which can be fitted with a variety of payloads. The drawback, however, is the durability of the rocket.
M1 Light Fusion Rocket
The lighter version of the M40, the M1 is able to use specialized launch systems on smaller ships.
Vimy-Class Tactical Nuclear Missile
The Vimy-class Tactical Nuclear Missile is a scalable missile. The Vimy-class Tactical Nuclear Missile is the newest nuclear payload missile used by the United Nations Space Command and its allies. (Galactic British Empire) Introduced in 2570 to replace the aging Shiva-Class Tactical Nuke due to its unimpressive capabilities against blood cult ships. The Vimy uses reverse engineered Scavenger nuclear technology recovered from an old battleground by the Office of Naval Intelligence. Research on behalf of the Galactic British Empire and Union of Judgment is being conducted to increase the Vimy’s effectiveness.
There are three yields and two variations per iteration of the missile. High, Medium, and Low are the three-power scaling’s the Vimy utilizes.
High – Large planet killing grade
Medium – Anti ship missile grade
Low – Excavation grade
The two variations include
Normal – Detectable when launched through normal means
Stealth – [In Development]
Mk II M2149 Bident Nuclear Missile
The Mk II M2149 Bident-nuclear Missile is a long range x-ray pumped nuclear missile used by the UNSC on certain capital grade warships.
M947 Shiva Nuclear Missile
The Shiva nuclear missile is an older pre-Syndicate war nuclear missile that saw many accounts of action during the Human Covenant War. Replaced by the newer Vimy nuclear missile. These missiles are commonly seen in the hands of terrorists or they are being repurposed to be recycled into newer Vimy nuclear missiles
Naval Coilguns
Often referred to as "mini-MACS" installed in turret mounts, naval coilguns are a variety of large cannon emplacements that fire standard kinetic rounds or semi-guided projectiles. These weapons are often installed in "batteries" with two to four guns in a single emplacement.
Mark 16 Breakwater Coilgun Battery
Due to its sheer size, the Mark 16 Breakwater is used by the largest of UNSC warships. These coil gun batteries are on par with a corvettes main MAC gun.
Mark 41 Sentry Coil gun Battery
The Mark 41, is a quad barrel coil gun battery outfitted on UNSC ships.
M13 Windbreaker Naval Auto Cannon
The M13 Windbreaker, is a smaller sized auto cannon installed on corvettes to face ships larger than their own.
Point Defence Networks
An array of compact rapid-fire coilgun or laser array turrets provide point defence against enemy strikecraft and can disrupt incoming projectiles. Point defence networks are entirely automated-calculating firing solutions in the heat of battle is far beyond the means of any human. These weapons proved to be an invaluable arsenal against the Covenant, who
would deploy dense clouds of space fighters, overwhelming the sensors
of their enemies in an effort to intimidate them.
M55E Rampart Anti Capital Point Defence Gun
The M55E Rampart is a version of the M39 outfitted on larger UNSC ships.
M39 Spitfire Coilgun CWIS
The M39 Spitfire is the UNSC's medium defence gun used on smaller ships from destroyers and below. Being a Close In Weapons System Coil gun, the M39 has a high rate of fire, and a fast round travel. Because of the fast tracking times, situational awareness, and coordination between batteries, a human is unable to use the point defences because of slow reflexes. These cannons are computer controlled and if a ships AI is present can boost the effectiveness of the cannons.
The M39 like other UNSC point defences use a dual ammunition system, with the turrets' computer being able to decide what ammunition suites best to intercept the target, 50mm proximity detonation fragmentation shells and 50mm sub-calibre armour-piercing sabots.
M8A Point Defence Battery
These small point defence batteries work in tandem with other installed point defences on UNSC ships by clearing up any projectiles that slip past the main defences.
M1 Jackal Energy Point Defence Battery
The M1 Jackal is the next generation point defence used by the UNSC. Instead of using a kinetic round, it used the technology used behind the M2 Bright Lance, and Covenant technology to fire an energy beam to destroy enemy projectiles.
Naval Mines
Most ships are equipped with naval mines-emplaced weapons that, once deployed, remain inert until a target of opportunity triggers their proximity alarm. The mine then goes into standby mode and passively interrogates the target. If it meets the criteria for engagement, it will go active and engage its IFF beacon, in order to avoid accidents and meet minimum legal criteria for lethal force.
UNSC Warships
The difference between a warship and an armed merchant vessel is that the former is explicitly designed for battle, with sacrifices made to optimize lethality in space combat. UNSC warships are armed with hard-hitting, but long-ranged magnetic accelerators and missile pods as their primary armament. UNSC anti-ship missiles use a combination of chemical explosive, kinetic kill, and nuclear-pumped X-ray warheads. Ships are defined by their function, rather than tonnage, displacement, or even armament. As ships remain in service for decades, they are occasionally reclassified as new classes are produced and older ships are transitioned to second-line or reserve status.
GEN I = Pre-Insurrection Ships
GEN II = Human Covenant War Ships
GEN III = Post-human covenant war ships
GEN IV = Syndicate War Ships
GEN V = Post-Syndicate War Ships