The Ester pattern armored frigate is a vessel rarely seen by Human eyes and thus little is known about it. Believed to have been designed during the third age of Discovery, the Covenant armored frigate was most commonly used as a patrol for second line and backwater systems within the Covenant sphere of influence. When it was finally encountered by humanity it quickly earned a fearsome reputation due to its armament and low profile making it harder to hit. The Covenant considered it to be a very average ship at best but the UNSC grew to fear its Plasma Lance, which was very high caliber for a ship its size. This enabled it to partake in long range attacks alongside Battlecruisers while other escort types like the Ceudar pattern had to close to torpedo range. The Ester was given the designation CAR class frigate. Its weaponry and armor made it more than a match for the UNSC Halberd class destroyer and fully capable of taking on several UNSC frigates simultaneously. During the later years of the Human-Covenant war many of these ships came under Jiralhanae command and eventually were used against the Senghelli during the Great Schism. During the Schism and post covenant years these frigates were highly prized by warlords for their firepower. Often they acted as substitutes for Battlecruisers so the precious few Ket patterns available could be preserved.