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 recurring hull design common in all other Covenant Warships (consisting of three or so bulbous sections and a laterally streamlined appearance). 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 separate engines in the back making for rapid acceleration, and more maneuverability than one would expect for such a vessel.

The interior 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 communications room, directly below the dorsal landing pad. Another doorway from the hangar leads to a fire control room for a battery of plasma cannons. The lowest door in this room leads to a horseshoe-shaped corridor and beyond that, the control room.

The control room is a large room, appearing to be split into two areas, divided by a holographic projector used for the display of tactical and strategic data. The Shipmaster and a bodyguard detail of Spec-ops sangheili man the bridge along with a number of Ultra unggoy.

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
At least three Covenant Corvettes took part in the attack on a UNSC Military where Thomas Lasky, a cadet member of Hastati Squad, is stationed. One of the corvettes fired on and destroyed the Orbital Elevator that was part of the academy and caused it to collapse.

Several 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 four corvettes and the 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.

A few corvettes also took part in the destruction of Reach Station Gamma despite meeting resistance from some UNSC Frigates.

Shortly after the Fall of Reach, the Covenant found Tribute, and the Navy battlegroup stationed there was almost completely annihilated. During the final hours of the battle, two corvettes moved in-atmosphere and began bombarding the capital city of Casbah, along with three s.

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. Also most Covenant ships rely on cameras feeding video onto screens rather than windows.
 * However if one compares pictures of inside and outside views of the gunnery room and command center, they cannot see inside the ship from space unless via the energy shield doors, making it likely that at least the materials used in those sections are one way or the viewports incorporate shutters like the hanger, on the other hand the gunnery room window looks much like a shield door from the inside while externally it is part of the hull, thus at least that part has a holographic screen, as such the bridge "windows" may be a massive screen as it is unlikely the Covenant would ever deviate from the technology.

List of appearances

 * Halo: The Fall of Reach
 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo: The Flood
 * Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn
 * Halo 4