RPV-class light destroyer

Best characterised as being the smaller cousin of the infamous, the RPV-class light destroyer is a formidable escort ship that is utilised by the. Considerably more streamlined than the bulky CPV, the RPV is an extremely fast and agile warship that has often been seen in pursuit and flanking positions during larger battles. While heavily armed with nearly the same base arsenal as the CPV destroyer, the RPV lacks it's troop-carrying capability or it's raw power generation and cannot be relied on to occupy enemy worlds by itself.

The RPV-class destroyer has been a common sight during the war, outnumbering it's close cousin by magnitudes but is outnumbered itself by smaller vessels, such as the and. Because they had proven they could stand up to the, the RPV performed the bulk of the reconnaissance efforts, spearheading scout missions into territory too hostile for other ships. They were also seen as a pursuit ship, chasing down the UNSC's evacuating battle groups and finishing them off when they exited slipspace. This latter action saw the destroyers becoming highly-desired positions for advancement, with politically-savvy ship masters using them to cut the time needed to command a. After the war, these ships became popular with and pirates, as their powerful weapons complement, speed and above all low crew count saw them providing the bulk of their heavy firepower - a job they are destined for the foreseeable future.

Role and Usage
The RPV-class light destroyer is designed as an agile reconnaissance and ship-to-ship combatant, using it's light mass and powerful speed to quickly manoeuvre around hits that couldn't be stopped by it's moderate. To this end, it is typically deployed in flanking positions, moving close to the enemy behind a flotilla of better-shielded cruisers before quickly accelerating outwards and then attacking their opponent's exposed flanks and aft. It's heavy weapons make this tactic exceedingly dangerous, and on occasion the RPV could be focused much more heavily then the cruisers in front of it. This tactic is usually seen when these destroyers are responsible for escorting CPV-class destroyers. It's speed also makes it an excellent planetary raiding vessel, where it can quickly enter atmosphere and lay siege to high-value bases and installations before the UNSC fleet can respond. It's twenty-four allows it to inflict devastating ground casualties on UNSC troops, hastening the inevitable Covenant victory. When the UNSC finally begins to evacuate, the RPV can support high-speed CRS battle groups to chase down fleeing human warships. They work in a symbiotic manner, the CRS tracking them and the RPV providing the means to destroy them. In this partnership, even mighty battleships can be felled in a joint CRS-RPV armada.