“	You know, this Destroyer has enough ordnance to level a small moon. I've done the calculations myself.	„
	~ Ship Master

The Class 6 Series Crewed Interplanetary Combat Vessel, better known as the Super Destroyer, is a faster-than-light capable warship mass produced for use by the Helldivers of the Super Earth Armed Forces (S.E.A.F.). Upon reading the Contract of Employment and completing Helldiver training, each Helldiver is assigned command of a Super Destroyer to carry out their missions.

General

“	Super Destroyer crew assignments are some of the most sought-after in the fleet. Everyone wants to be on a Helldiver's destroyer.	„
	~ Ship Master

The Super Destroyer is a relatively small combat vessel approximately 170 meters long and 80 meters wide. The Alcubierre Drive enables the Super Destroyer to navigate to any planet in the galaxy within seconds by warping time and space around the vessel. Super Destroyers are fueled by Element-710, an oil-like substance produced as a side-effect of Terminid decomposition. Super Destroyers typically have names in the following format: SES (Super Earth Ship) Noun of Noun, for example: SES Shield of the People. Players also have the choice to name their Super Destroyers at the start and any time during the game.

Exterior

The rear consists of 10 large engines which the Super Destroyer uses to navigate local space around planets. The rear is flanked by two very large bracket-shaped panels that house the four outer engines. The middle hull consists of a large wide structure with what appear to be loading bays along the side. The front extends far over the bridge and consists of 2 long pillars flanking a larger center pillar, an antenna array stands at the tip of the center pillar.

Interior

The rear of the ship consists of the hangar where the Pelican is parked; on an upgraded Super Destroyer, the Eagle is also parked in the hangar, and a large amount of ordnance is stored in the open. At the back of the hangar is a small access portal to the engine room. The main deck is an open area where the Ship Master and the Service Technician can be found. To the left is the Robotics Workshop and the Patriotic Administration Center, and on the right is the Cryogenic Chamber and the Engineering Workshop. The main deck also houses the Stratagem Hero arcade machine and a large television screen that shows news updates, commercials, and the 'Brasch Tactics' series of tips.

Through the first bulkhead is the Armory on the left and a series of computers on the right, the loading bays seen on the exterior of the ship are inaccessible and cannot be seen. Beyond the second bulkhead lies the Bridge where the Democracy Officer monitors the ship and its crew. A holographic Galactic Map is used by the Helldiver to select which planet to go to and which operation to take part in. At the foredeck is the Hellpod launch system, for delivering Helldivers and their Stratagems to the field. It consists of four launch tubes, into which Helldivers and their resupplies are loaded. The observation deck allows the crew to directly monitor events on the ground, as well as inspect the ship's gun batteries and immediate surroundings.

A belt of Hellpods encircles the deck of the Super Destroyer. An access port to starboard, next to the Robotics Workshop, allows a freshly-thawed Helldiver to enter the main deck. Helldivers from allied vessels can also return here to be re-frozen and transferred back to the ships they command. Additionally, two belts of artillery ammunition run along the ceiling of the bridge.

Armament

Super Destroyers are armed with a very wide variety of weapons mounted in front of and beneath the bridge. Visible weapons forward of the bridge include a one or two large cannons, two large self-loading rocket pods, and two large Gatling guns; 2 large triple-barreled naval guns are also visible mounted on the hull beneath the bridge. The only named weapon is the ATLAS Cannon, which fires the Precision Strike.

The Super Destroyer is capable of firing its precision ATLAS Cannon—including specialized Gas, EMS, and Airburst shells—a Gatling gun, 120mm and 380mm Artillery, a high intensity Laser, and a high velocity Railcannon.

Among the Super Destroyer's limited armament are the Helldivers themselves, of which Five are devoted to each mission. This number can be adjusted using certain Boosters, or if the last remaining Helldiver demonstrates exceptional survival skills to merit defrosting an additional standby. Each allied Super Destroyer provides its own complement of Helldivers to the mission.

Galactic travel

“	I give every crew member a half day off on Liberty Day. Some things are sacred, even on the front.	„
	~ Ship Master

The primary purpose of the Super Destroyer is to bring Helldivers to contested planets and support their operations on the ground. From the Galactic Map, Helldivers can select Missions to undertake. Orbital thrusters are used to travel between mission sites on the same planet. By selecting a mission on another planet, the Helldiver can command the ship to warp to that planet.

The Super Destroyer generally cannot be commanded to travel to a fully liberated or a fully occupied planet. One general exception is made for travel to Mars, to replenish their supply of fully-trained recruits following their tutorial mission. A notable exception occurred during the last major operation on Meridia, when an immediate general retreat was issued as the planet collapsed under the influence of Dark Fluid. The fleet retreated to Super Earth to regroup. Ships may no longer still travel to Meridia, which has since become a black hole. Ships are, however, allowed to travel to Angel's Venture, Moradesh,and Ivis which were destroyed by the Meridia black hole. Infrequently, a Super Destroyer may still be in orbit around a planet that has just been liberated or lost. If the Helldiver is in the middle of an operation, they may complete the rest of the operation before they must adhere to the retreat order. However, the operation may be more difficult as fewer Helldivers will be able to join.

Allied travel

Helldivers can join their fellows by selecting their active mission sites, or using the Social menu interface. Allied Helldivers will remain aboard the squad leader's Super Destroyer in between missions, and drop in with the squad during missions. Players can leave the squad using the game menu, or by returning to the stasis pod chamber.

Orbital support

“	Ammo, fuel, personnel--I manage everything on this ship with one thing in mind: making sure you have the support you need, Helldiver.	„
	~ Ship Master

During a mission, the Super Destroyer maintains an altitude of roughly one kilometer above the center of the mission area. This affects the angle at which orbital strikes impact the mission area—nearly vertical towards the center of the map, and at more oblique angles towards the edge of a map. In some cases, very tall terrain or structures may prevent a strike from hitting its intended target.

Circumstances may affect a Super Destroyer's ability to provide timely and accurate strikes, resulting in such missions being classed at a higher difficulty level. For instance, Atmospheric Interference makes it harder for the gun crews to stay on target, while Orbital Fluctuations force the Super Destroyer to devote more attention to maintaining position.

The Super Destroyer will maintain altitude until the mission timer expires, at which point it must return to low geostationary orbit. Stratagems then become unavailable (Excluding the SEAF Artillery if the team has completed this sub-objective). Reinforcements will also be unavailable, forcing the Helldivers on the ground to rely on their dropped assets. Finally, an emergency shuttle will be launched, which starts the extraction timer.

Should a Helldiver threaten to abandon their mission by being outside the mission boundary too long, immediate judgment is passed upon the offender. The newly-branded traitor will thereafter be targeted by the Super Destroyer's artillery, unless they somehow manage to reach the extraction shuttle.

Ship module upgrades

Patriotic Administration Center

Donation Access License: "Purchases permanent access to ammo provided by the "Support Our Heros" fund, which allows patriotic family members to donate supplies to their loved ones in the field."

• Effect: Support Weapons deploy with the maximum number of carriable magazines.
• Cost: 60 Common Samples

Streamlined Request Process: "Pre-approves the following forms in the Support Weapon Approval Process: Form 99-C (Justification for Munitions), Form 88-1 (Democratic Impact Worksheet), & Form 104 (Collateral Damage Risk Waiver)."

• Effect: Decreases Support Weapon stratagem cooldown by 10%.
• Cost: 80 Common Samples , 40 Rare Samples

Hand Carts: "Provides hand carts which can carry multiple backpack stratagems from storage, decreasing both reload time and crew lumbar injuries."

• Effect: Decreases cooldown for all Backpack stratagems by 10%.
• Cost: 80 Common Samples , 60 Rare Samples , 5 Super Samples

Superior Packing Methodology: "Authorizes an 8-week crew training course in Superior Packing Methodology (SPM), resulting in increased supply box capacity."

• Effect: Resupply boxes refill Support Weapons with the maximum number of carriable magazines.
• Cost: 150 Common Samples , 150 Rare Samples , 15 Super Samples , and 20,000 Requisition Slips

Payroll Management System: "Top-of-the-line accounting software automates payroll calculations, freeing up HR associates to lubricate support weapons in their spare time."

• Effect: Reduces reload time for all support weapons by 10%.
• Cost: 200 Common Samples , 200 Rare Samples , 20 Super Samples , and 30,000 Requisition Slips

Orbital Cannons

Exploding Shrapnel: "Military watchdog groups have called exploding shrapnel "savage," "merciless," and "well-suited for spreading Democracy."

• Effect: Reduces damage falloff from center of explosions caused by orbital stratagems.
• Cost: 100 Common Samples

More Guns: "After years of research into improving the Super Destroyer's firepower, the Ministry of Science concluded that the most effective method was adding more guns."

• Effect: Barrage orbitals fire 1 additional salvo(s) per barrage.
• Cost: 80 Common Samples , 60 Rare Samples

Zero G Breech Loading: "Replaces the current method of loading cannons - manual shell insertion down the front of the barrel - with rear loading, which is much faster."

• Effect: Orbital stratagem cooldown time reduced by 10%.
• Cost: 80 Common Samples , 80 Rare Samples , 10 Super Samples

Atmospheric Monitoring: "Grants subscription to data stream of live weather conditions, allowing for increased accuracy in orbital targeting."

• Effect: Orbital HE barrage spread reduced by 15%.
• Cost: 200 Common Samples , 150 Rare Samples , 15 Super Samples , and 25,000 Requisition Slips

High-Density Explosives: "Removes stabilising phlematiser agents from explosive material used to pack orbital shells, allowing for more powerful payloads."

• Effect: Increases the damage radius on explosions caused by orbital stratagems by 10%.
• Cost: 250 Common Samples , 200 Rare Samples , 20 Super Samples , and 35,000 Requisition Slips

Hangar

Liquid-Ventilated Cockpit: "Fills cockpit with breathable liquid perfluorocarbons, which absorb g-forces and thereby enable pilots to conduct tighter turns without losing consciousness."

• Effect: Cooldown time for Eagle stratagems reduced by 50%.
• Cost: 80 Common Samples

Pit Crew Hazard Pay: "Authorizes hazard pay for pit crews, allowing them to reload the Eagle Fighter in-spaceflight."

• Effect: Reduces Eagle Rearm time by 20%.
• Cost: 80 Common Samples , 40 Rare Samples

Expanded Weapons Bay: "Trims excess leg space in the cockpit, allowing the Eagle to carry additional payloads."

• Effect: Increases number of Eagle stratagem uses per Rearm by 1.
• Cost: 80 Common Samples , 80 Rare Samples , 10 Super Samples

XXL Weapons Bay: "Further expands Eagle weapons bay by removing unnecessary systems such as fire suppression, ejection, and airbags."

• Effect: Eagle stratagems that drop multiple bombs drop 1 additional bomb(s).
• Cost: 150 Common Samples , 150 Rare Samples , 15 Super Samples , and 25,000 Requisition Slips

Advanced Crew Training: "Trains pit crew members to employ situational protocol adaptations, such as leaving unused ammo loaded instead of replacing it."

• Effect: Eagle Rearm cooldown further reduced by 10% if called in while Eagle uses still remain.
• Cost: 200 Common Samples , 250 Rare Samples , 25 Super Samples , and 30,000 Requisition Slips

Bridge

Targeting Software Upgrade: "Increases orbital targeting speed by updating cannon targeting software to premium version."

• Effect: 1-second reduction in call-in time for all Orbital stratagems.
• Cost: 60 Common Samples

Nuclear Radar: "Increases the range of Helldiver Radar by equipping it with a high-powered Plutonium-210 battery."

• Effect: Increases enemy ping radius on minimap by 50 meters.
• Cost: 80 Common Samples , 40 Rare Samples

Power Steering: "Installs electronic actuators that augment the standard method of manual, foot-operated Hellpod steering."

• Effect: Improves steering for Helldivers during Hellpod deployment.
• Cost: 80 Common Samples , 80 Rare Samples , 10 Super Samples

Enhanced Combustion: "Increases burning temperature of incendiary weapons by lacing fuel with a precisely-formulated compound of thermite, white phosphourus, capsaicin, allyl isothiocyanate, and 19 other accelerants."

• Effect: Fire damage from stratagems increased by 25%.
• Cost: 200 Common Samples , 150 Rare Samples , 15 Super Samples , and 25,000 Requisition Slips

Moral Augmentation: "Boost overall crew efficiency with a suite of proven enthusiasm enhancement initiatives, such as citizenship anniversary celebrations and paid lavatory breaks."

• Effect: Reduce cooldown time for all stratagems by 5%.
• Cost: 250 Common Samples , 200 Rare Samples , 20 Super Samples , and 35,000 Requisition Slips

Engineering Bay

Synthetic Supplementation: "Integrates moderate doses of amphetamines and androgenic steriods into diet of loading crew, leading to increased pace, focus, & stamina, among other effects."

• Effect: Reduces cooldown time for Sentry, Emplacement, and Resupply stratagems by 10%.
• Cost: 60 Common Samples , 10 Rare Samples

Advanced Construction: "Reinforces sentries with state-of-the-art cyanoacrylate adhesives, greatly improving their durability under fire."

• Effect: Increases health of Sentry stratagems by 50%.
• Cost: 80 Common Samples , 60 Rare Samples , 5 Super Samples

Rapid Launch System: "Jump-starts Hellpod firing with an immediate TNT detonation at the time of launch."

• Effect: 100-second reduction in cooldown time for all Emplacement Stratagems.
• Cost: 80 Common Samples , 80 Rare Samples , 10 Super Samples

Circut Expansion: "Augments electrical weaponry by safely connecting multiple interior arc extenders into one linear chain."

• Effect: Lightning arcs, fired from weapons and turrets, jump to one additional enemy.
• Cost: 200 Common Samples , 150 Rare Samples , 20 Super Samples , and 20,000 Requisition Slips

Streamlined Launch Process: "Decreases time to initiate deployment of Support Weapon Stratagems by removing dialogue box confirming intent to fire."

• Effect: All Support Weapon stratagems launch immediately once called in, reducing overall deployment time.
• Cost: 250 Common Samples , 200 Rare Samples , 25 Super Samples , and 30,000 Requisition Slips

Robotics Workshop

Dynamic Tracking: "Repurposed surveillance technology allows the Sentry Deployment Cannon to closely track the user at all times, no matter where they go or what they do, ready to fire at any second."

• Effect: 100-second reduction in cooldown time for all Sentry Stratagems.
• Cost: 60 Common Samples , 20 Rare Samples

Shock Absorption Gel: "Lines Sentry pods with shock-absorbing hydrogel, allowing extra ammunition to be packed in the space previously occupied by shock-absorbing springs."

• Effect: Increases ammo for all Sentry stratagems by 50%.
• Cost: 80 Common Samples , 40 Rare Samples , 5 Super Samples

High-Quality Lubricant: "Applies the clear-frictionless lubricant known as "Super Jelly" to sentry ring mounts, facilitating extremely smooth mechanical operation."

• Effect: Sentries rotate towards new targets more quickly.
• Cost: 80 Common Samples , 80 Rare Samples , 10 Super Samples

Blast Absorption: "Reinforces sentries with expanded polystyrene pieces (peanut-shaped variety), which absorb thermal and blast energy."

• Effect: Sentries take 50% less damage from explosions.
• Cost: 150 Common Samples , 150 Rare Samples , 20 Super Samples , and 25,000 Requisition Slips

Cross-Platform Compatibility: "Allows Mortar Targeting Platform to access Helldiver HUD ecosystem through use of third-party conversion software."

• Effect: Mortar Sentries prioritise fire at marked targets.
• Cost: 250 Common Samples , 200 Rare Samples , 30 Super Samples , and 35,000 Requisition Slips

Trivia

• In Helldivers 2, the generic Super Destroyers seen in the distance are always labeled "SS LIBERTY". The prefix "SS" was previously used in the first Helldivers game, before presumably being retconned into "SES" during Helldivers 2's development.
• The generic model for a Super Destroyer depicts it with the Level 2 Orbital Cannon upgrade.
• The holographic and blueprints for the Super Destroyer depict it with four twin-turrets in front of the Bridge, rather than the variety of cannons, missile pods, and Gatling guns actually available.
• New production Super Destroyers have a single large cannon mounted in front of the deck, this cannon is replaced with two identical cannons mounted across from each other when the Level 1 Orbital Cannon upgrade is unlocked.
• New production Super Destroyers are only partially completed. The Engineering Workshop, Robotics Workshop, Patriotic Administration Center, and Bridge are still under construction or require installation of equipment, the hangar is empty, save for the Pelican, and the ship is featured with only a skeleton crew.
• A fully upgraded Super Destroyer has a crew of approximately 40 personnel.
• Helldivers are financially responsible for the repair of a damaged Super Destroyer. If the Helldiver is killed, the bill is subtracted from the Martyrdom Payment the family would receive.
• A crew member on the inaccessible part of the Bridge has an interaction prompt, but if a player glitches their way over to her, she has no dialog or responses.
• The Super Destroyer is supposedly equipped with a dining hall, barracks and a personal sauna, according to voicelines by the Service Technician and Democracy Officer. Where said facilities are located within the ship, however, is a mystery not of the Helldivers' concern.
  • The personal sauna is for the Democracy Officer's private use only and is off-limits for the rest of the crew.
• When orbiting the Meridia Black Hole, it is possible to hear the outer armor plates of the Super Destroyer being stretched by the gravitational pull.
  • This would not be consistent with how the Super Destroyer's Alcubierre Drive is supposed to work, as the Black Hole should not be able to alter the Super Destroyer's time-space bubble. However, it is likely the bubble is dispersed whenever the ship is not in active travel.
• The hangar can be seen but cannot be accessed without bugs or glitches. If one does end up in the hangar, the floor around the elevator is not solid, and players can fall out of the ship.
  • Because the floor is not solid, sometimes one of the ship crewmen will be standing under the floor. They can only be seen by glitching into the hangar and falling through the non-solid floor to the solid platform below. This crew member can also be interacted with like the one above, but also has no dialog or responses.
• From the Hellpod launch deck, players may observe other Super Destroyers firing hellpods and strikes towards the planet, with stratagem beacons visible on the ground.
  • Super Destroyers may take occasional ground-based fire, sometimes suffering fatal hits. The player's own ship thus far is not subject to attack, but may take near misses.
    • This event only occurs on Automaton-controlled planets and it is triggered whenever a player/squad nearby has failed their mission.
    • Additionally, players can sometimes see Super Destroyers being scuttled into orbit. This is a scripted event that only occurs whenever a nearby player/squad abandons an operation (be it by quitting the game/joining a match that is hosted in a different planet).
• In patch 5.0.0, an issue was fixed where a missile inside the Destroyer's hangar was misaligned. This dangerous act of asymmetry has been corrected.
• On May 13, 2025, a patch to the game removed the Service Technician, with the Ship Master stating that the Technician was away for "Professional Development Training" due to a strike that had taken place at Prosperity Falls. Curiously, this update also changed the identities of both the Ship Master and the Democracy Officer. On February 3rd, 2026, another update to the game restored the Service Technician (who had returned from training) and reverted the Ship Master and Democracy Officer to their original identities.
• The Super Destroyer, even while not using the Orbital 380MM HE Barrage, will always be able to shoot 380mm shells at players marked as Traitors. Prior to Heart of Democracy, these shells had the same spread as the 380mm Barrage and players could zig-zag in intervals to avoid being hit. After Heart of Democracy, these shots were updated to perfectly track players, as well as to make the Super Destroyer circle the map so as to always have an angle of attack towards the player once they are marked as traitors.
  • The only way of avoiding Traitor Barrage Fire is by either taking refuge within a cave in a Hive World mission, by sticking close enough to a building in a Mega City or by entering any of the accessible buildings in a Megafactory.
  • If a player is marked as a Traitor during a Commando Mission, the Super Destroyer will warp into the map to shoot the player and then leave immediately.