Hector-class light destroyer

The Hector-class light destroyer was a class of missile destroyers used by both the and during the early . 
== History ==
The Hector was the workhorse of the UNSC and CMA fleets for almost fifty years, serving as one of the most common naval vessels in human space. It was almost ubiquitous to the colonial power of Earth itself, at the forefront of colonial security operations, merchant escort, search-and-rescue, and anti-piracy missions. 
They would see action during many conflicts, such as the Blackwater Incident, the Omicron Eridani conflicts, and the the Eridanus II Insurrection. Several of them would be appropriated and used by the secessionist navy during the Falkirian War for Independence. 
During this time there was one notable incident in which a rebel-piloted GA-TL1 Longsword instigated an attack on the UNSC Mekong, where it fired two anti-ship missiles and one of them managed to evade the Mekong's point-defenses and struck the hangar bay, almost destroying the ship.
The in 2494 would mark the end of the Hector's glory days and the beginning of the end to its service as a whole. The incident resulted in the embarrassing loss of three Hectors at the hands of Insurrectionists, and revealed critical inadequacies in the design. From there on, the Hector would be steadily phased out as more were introduced that were effective in this new age of warfare. Many still served as part of colonial defenses forces and in reserve fleets while others fell under the control of Insurrectionist forces and pirates.
During the Human-Covenant War, the Hector-class proved almost completely ineffective, as most notably displayed during the battles of Gamma Aurigae and Midvale. Their arsenal of just seven anti-ship missiles was laughably pitiful against the highly advanced technology of the Covenant, almost always being shot down before they can hit and doing almost no damage to the shields if they do. In 2525, many Hectors were slated for emergency refit. However most were destroyed in the initial years of the conflict before they could be rearmed. A number were able to be successfully refitted in time for battle with Archer missile pods, but this was still proved almost useless for many of the same problems. 
By the end of 2527, almost all the remaining Hector-class light destroyers would be scrapped and the class officially retired. Some examples would continue to exist, but only those found in the hands of Insurrectionist rebels and pirate fleets, but even these became increasingly rare sights in human space.
== Design and Armament ==
The Hector-class design was a staple of contemporary ship designs and naval philosophy; simple, sturdy, utilitarian, and with optimizable loadouts to its arsenal. Some observers stated the ship resembled a shorter and stockier version of a Halberd-class, having pioneered the arrowhead design, but have a much more "broadhead" design.
Built before the introduction of the Magnetic Accelerator Cannons or Archer missiles, its standard armament consisted of seven and six point-defense batteries, with a optional loadout of two fusion rockets. By modern standards, this arsenal can be considered laughably small but at the time was considered the standard for destroyer-class vessels.
==Ships of the Line==
 Name 	 Hull Classification Symbol 	 Commissioned 	 Notes 
UNSC Hector 	HE-1 	January 30th, 2444 	Lead ship of the class.
UNSC Mekong 	HE-75 	August 4th, 2467 	Was attacked and severely damaged by a rebel Longsword in the Epsilon Eridani system.
UNSC Galahad 	HE-121 	October 3rd, 2477 	First command of Sebastian T. Shelby.
Category:Destroyer classes
Category:Gaelic Saga
Category:UNSC Ship Classes