SDV-class heavy corvette

The SDV-class heavy corvette is a light capital warship classification in the Covenant Navy. That was crated and originated from Ocra.

Operational History
Prior to the Human Covenant War, SDV-Class Heavy Corvettes were designed and constructed by Oceanic Industry Corcasius Ship Yards, in 2121, as part of the Ocra Imperial militarized alliance to the Covenant. Although the ships on the Covenant side were not manufactured and used for war until the events of the Covenant's encounter with humanity in 2524, during the Harvest Campaign, the Covenant Empire bought official designs from Ocra in 2521, and began construction of the corvettes.

However on the Oceanic side, it was revealed that the SDV-class corvettes were actually used during the Ocran Crisis during the events of 2123, and onwards up to the events of the 26th century, where the Covenant would eventually buy the vessel's rights. During the Ocra Crisis, the SDV-Proved itself to be a great asset with the Ocran Empire, which aided them In quelling a strong rebellion at Cartavora, while at the same time serving as a blockade in order to prevent the rebels from escaping.

In the conclusion of the rebellion many years later, the SDV's ability was then noticed by the Covenent, eventually leading to the Oceanic's to sell multiple blueprints to High Charity, while at the same time constructing these vessels for the Covenant Navy, from Ocara.

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

During the expansion of the Human Covenant War, Corcasius Ship Yards eventually surprised the Covenant with a new advanced and far much large SDV, that would later be named the Prevalence of Trust in 2528. The ship was immediately granted by the Shangheli, and was given to the Covenant navy, where an unnamed Shipmaster took command of it. Several Corvettes including the Prevalence of Trust, were present during the Fall of Reach. A 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.

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 UNSC Savannah, 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. 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 CSO-class 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.

A corvette also took part in the destruction of Reach Station Gamma despite meeting resistance from a UNSC Frigate.

Shortly after the Fall of Reach, the Covenant occupied the planet, while the Prevalence of Trust remained, the rest of the Covenant navy 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 CCS-class battlecruisers.

During the events of the Great Schism, Shipmaster of the Prevalence of Trust, continued to support Thalienhelios during the war on Reach, against the Brutes, while also forming an alliance with the remaining résistance fighters who once fought them during the Occupation. After crushing the Brutes in the battle of Viery, Thalienhelios devices a plan to take the fight to the enemy, and assault the Brutes head on at Beta Gabriel, after successfully mounting a probe on one of the Brute CCS battlecruisers that retreated from Reach.

The Prevalence of Trust, eventually arrived at Beta Gabriel, and successfully snuck passed the Brute defense blockade by a mixture of both slipspace and the vessels ability to both cloak and jam communications, and arrive in the skies over Brute territory, where it commenced an orbital bombardment on the Brute camps below, while the human and Elite forces assaulted on the ground.

The attack was deemed a success, after the Human Shangelli alliance destroyed a large majority of Loyalist Covenant resources planetside, while the Prevalence of Trust destroyed much larger resource targets through orbital bombardment. After the initial assault, the Shipmaster deactivated the both the ship's cloaking and jamming equipment and made themselves known to the Brute fleet in space, stating to them that they now know where their staging area is, and will not hesitate to strike again even harder the next time the Brutes assault Reach.

The Brute fleet embarrassed by the well minded Shangelli quickly diverted its fleet to destroy the Prevalence of Trust, but the attacking Corvette had already evacuated its forces on the ground and escaped through slipspace before they could arrive.

Returning to Reach the Prevalence of Trust, unloaded its forces back onto the planet, where the group continued to face off the Covenant Loyalists for a few more months before the war's end on December 11th, 2552, following the end of Instillation 00.

Although hostilities officially ended by March 3rd of 2553, and a peace treaty was signed on Earth, one final battle would occur between the Covenant Heretics of Reach and the Covenant Loyalists, after the Brute's final invasion of Reach ended in failure, and the Prevalence of Trust Invaded Beta Gabriel for a final time, this time with the support of a full force of both UNSC and the Fleet of Honor backing it.

Following the liberation of Beta Gabriel and the initial crushing of the remaining Brutes in the Epsilon Eridani system, the Prevalence of Trust eventually returned to Reach one final time, with the small fleet of honor by her side.

After returning to Reach, another treaty to end hostilities was signed, on March 8th, 2553, roughly 6 days after the first treaty, where Thalienhelios gradually accepted the terms of peace alongside his fellow higher ups and shipmaster, declaring that humanity were indeed worthy allies to Shanghelios, and that it was an honor to serve with them.

The Prevalence of Trust officially left Reach's orbit for good after the Covenant's permanent withdraw from the planet, and was never seen again.

Despite the war's end, the SDV's were shown to have been retired by the remnants of the Covenant Empire, but the Ocran Empire still used these ships even as far as a century later, during their war with the Militarized Rogue Coalition.

Deisgns
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.