SDV-class heavy corvette

SDV-class heavy corvette

A SDV-class heavy corvette is a light capital warship classification in the Covenant Navy.

Design details
Larger than UNSC Frigates but relatively weak when compared to most other Covenant ships, Corvettes are usually sent in advance of larger fleets. They are streamlined, with a vaguely oblong hull shape not following the recuring hull design common in all other Covenant Warships (consisting of several bulbous sections-normally three-and very streamlined laterally). Their "double-hull" assembly is unique among Covenant vessels encountered so far. The outer "hull" could possibly house the lateral plasma conduits which supply the ship power and the ammunition for the ship-based weapons systems. The Corvette houses 4 seperate engines in the back, which allow the ship to accelerate very quick and allow the ship to be more maneuverable than one would expect for such a vessel.

The interior of the vessel is also quite small compared to other Covenant ships. There is a large hangar area which can easily fit up to six Phantom dropships and multiple Banshees. There are many entrances to the hangar, most of which lead to other areas of the ship which are currently unknown, although it is known that one door leads to a large room with a shield door in the roof which leads to the roof of the vessel. Another doorway from the hangar leads to a slanted corridor with one wall lined with windows and heavy Plasma cannons which were used to destroy the. The lowest door in this room leads to a horseshoe-shaped corridor which leads to the control room.

The control room is a large room with what seems to be split into two areas. In between these two areas is a holographic projector which can project planets. For example, the Corvette that was used to destroy the Covenant, Long Night of Solace, had a projection of the planet Reach currently activated.

Armaments
The Covenant Corvette is armed with multiple weapons for a variety of purposes. On either side of the ship are plasma batteries, each having three manually controlled plasma turrets which appear to be used as a primary ship to ship engagement weapon. Located in four batteries, two on each side, with two in each, are eight plasma autocannons for use against fighter craft. On the underside of the Corvette is a launch bay that can hold at least sixteen Type-27 XMFs for use in combat situations. The hangar bay also carries six Seraphs and with additional room to carry one or more gunboats for additional combat support. The dorsal landing pad could also carry extra fighters, though it is not regularly outfitted for such a role.

Operational history
Several Covenant Corvettes were present during the Fall of Reach. At least one of these Corvettes, Ardent Prayer, was in the planet's orbit when Operation: UPPERCUT commenced. As the vessel's communications were being jammed by the UNSC, it was engaged by the, which was assisted by several Sabre fighters, including one piloted by SPARTAN-B312 and Jorge-052. The corvette was destroyed by the Slipspace Bomb and took the Supercarrier Long Night of Solace with it thanks to the trap. Another corvette attacked Sword Base but retreated when its forces were driven off or destroyed. As it left, the corvette was blasted through the middle with a MAC round and sank in a nearby lake. These first two corvettes were part of a small advance force sent ahead to Reach that seemed to be made up of at least the three corvettes and the Covenant supercarrier Long Night of Solace. It is unclear if there were any more corvettes or other ship-types involved, but it doesn't seem likely.

Other Covenant corvettes took part in the ground battle on the planet. At least three such corvettes were present during the occupation and destruction of the city of New Alexandria. One took part in the destruction of civilian transports, hovering over the Starport to prevent escape, but was heavily damaged by missile batteries, apparently disabling its weapons and allowing the other transports to escape. It was last seen retreating from the city.

Trivia

 * The Firefight map Corvette, as well as the multiplayer map Zealot, takes place within the Covenant corvette Ardent Prayer.
 * The Covenant Corvette is the only known Covenant starship that possesses no energy shields. This makes them some of the weakest (if not the weakest) Covenant ships that appear, as this, combined with their weak hull strength compared to other Covenant (and even Human) capital ships, as the UNSC frigate Savannah was able to severely damage the Ardent Prayer with fire from her point-defense guns and assistance from a handful of Sabre fighters-a feat that would normally be impossible against other Covenant ships.
 * The Corvette maintains the typical bulbous shape that is seen on most Covenant star ships, but the main hull is elevated and is a separate piece from the outer rim of the ship.
 * Another oddity of the ship is that the command center is situated at the front of the ship and has actual windows. This is commonplace for human vessels but strange in Covenant ships due to the Covenant's regular preference to have the main command center of a ship to be buried in the heart of the ship for defensive purpopses.

List of appearances

 * Halo: The Fall of Reach
 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo: The Flood