No, Frank O'Connor mentioned that the fins on the ring are there because they are going to be used in the Forerunner Saga.

That pissed me off, but not nearly as much as when he said the Halo rings always had those fins and we didn't have the technology back then to make it happen. I'm pretty sure we could have had it in the original three if Jason Jones wanted it them there, but he didn't. Saying we have them now just because Greg Bear says so just pisses me off.

I'm busy finding the source. I'll post it when I find it.