Approximately 485 meters from stem to stern and weighing in at 7,900 metric tons, the Midlothian hefted a pair of magnetic accelerator cannons, a Shiva-class nuclear payload, and an Archer missile firing array. It was, without a doubt, a ship to be reckoned with.
Although UNSC destroyers were historically employed on escort missions or in large-scale fleet engagements, the Midlothian had been sent alone to the planet of Algolis, where a small Covenant contingent had made landfall. Upon arrival, the Midlothian was to slingshot the gravity well of a nearby gas giant, following an asteroidal trajectory toward the planet.
After deploying a groundside detachment which included ODSTs, the destroyer was to rendezvous with a frigate in low orbit to assist with evacuation efforts. After evacuating the population and destroying a series of classified prototype weapon systems—preventing Covenant capture of cutting-edge technology—these ships were then to loop out of orbit and escape prior to the arrival of a larger enemy force.
The Heart of Midlothian, however, never made it to Algolis. The destroyer was assaulted by a battlegroup of Covenant ships. Shortly after it was forcibly boarded, the ship was destroyed—as required by the Cole Protocol—an act which would prevent information about the location of Earth from falling into enemy hands.