Helios-class Heavy Frigate

Helios-class Heavy Frigate

"A SDV and a Helios, looks like a one sided fight? The Covvies don't know, the Helios punches WELL above its weight!"

- UNSC Seaman

The is a light capitalship used by the UNSC for close escort and hunter-killer missions, and in a few cases, patrol duties. It is a modified variant of the Heimdall-class frigate, lacking the notable dorsal structure for carrying marine forces. Instead, it uses the power and space taken up by this to mount three deadly M54 Storm Naval Support Guns. These guns carry two 400mm gauss cannons, capable of accelerating a large slug to one quarter of the speed of light, causing horrendous damage to a ship on impact. One such slug could cripple a unshielded SDV-class corvette. A entire battery can reduce a fully shielded SDV to smouldering wreck in just twenty seconds.

The Helios is used in naval battle groups to provide close in escort for carriers against marauding light capital ships, or to augment the fire power of cruisers, allowing them to cause horrendous damage to ships much higher in tonnage. It can also be used for hit and run attacks, being one of the fastest and lightest capital ships in the UNSC fleet with the highest punch. This allows it to cause horrendous damage at high speeds. It is also used for 'aggressive patrols', where capture and search isn't a requirement, where it can quickly and decisively destroy a enemy vessel. It os often seen plying lawless sectors, where the battles against the Remnant, Pirate factions and Insurrectionists is an ongoing guerilla war.

The Helios carries only two to four Pelicans, for short range missions. It's on-board Marine complement consists of, usually, a platoons for boarding operations, search and seizure and defence against boarders. It can fit three platoons at maximum, but the room on-board becomes incredibly cramped.

Blocks
While the Helios has a handful of variants, with minor changes between the ships, the primary variant is the Sekhmet-class Heavy Frigate, which carries a Weapon/Anti-Ship Model 21 Directed Ion Cannon. This Ion Cannon provides a fantastic weapon against shielding ships, causing significant electromagnetic and kinetic damage.

Ships of the line

 * UNSC Helios
 * UNSC Sekhmet