Editing UNSC Forward Unto Dawn

{{Status|Canon}}

{{Redirect|Forward Unto Dawn|the web series and the poem|Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn|Forward Unto Dawn (poem)}}

{{Infobox/Ships

|name= UNSC ''Forward Unto Dawn''

|image= [[File:H3-UNSCForwardUntoDawnFrigate.png|350px]]

|class= {{Class|Charon|light frigate}}<ref name="guide">'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 74''</ref>

|length               = {{Convert|1606.65|ft|m|sp=us|sigfig=5|disp=flip}}<ref name="H3GameData">'''[[Halo 3]]''' ''3D game data''</ref>{{Ref/Reuse|guide}}{{Ref/Reuse|Bulletin 10.10.12}}

|width               = {{Convert|510.42|ft|m|sp=us|sigfig=5|disp=flip}}{{Ref/Reuse|H3GameData}}

|height               = {{Convert|456.68|ft|m|sp=us|sigfig=5|disp=flip}}{{Ref/Reuse|H3GameData}}

|mass=0.65 million metric tons{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22p123|Enc22|Page=123}}

|power                = [[Fusion reactor]]

|maneuver drive      = [[Deuterium fusion reactor|Naoto Technologies: V4/L-DFR]]{{Ref/Reuse|Bulletin 10.10.12}}<ref name="changes">[[UNSC Forward Unto Dawn#Halo 4 redesign|See production notes.]]</ref>

|slipspace drive     = [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine|Series IV CODEN/SFTE]]{{Ref/Reuse|Bulletin 10.10.12}}

|hull                 = 60 centimeters [[Titanium-A armor|titanium-A battleplate]]<ref>'''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]''', ''page 259'' (2011)</ref>

|armaments            = *1 [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|Mark II, Light Coil – 83B6R3/MAC]]{{Ref/Reuse|Bulletin 10.10.12}}

*50 [[M58 Archer missile]] pods{{Ref/Reuse|Bulletin 10.10.12}}

*4 [[M870 Rampart point defense gun|M870 Rampart 50mm point defense gun]]s<ref name="Bulletin 10.10.12">[http://blogs.halowaypoint.com/Headlines/post/2012/10/10/The-Halo-Bulletin-101012-.aspx '''Waypoint''': ''The Halo Bulletin: 10.10.12''] (defunct, backup on [https://web.archive.org/web/20140730210813/https://blogs.halowaypoint.com/en-us/blogs/headlines/posts/the-halo-bulletin-101012- Archive.org])</ref>{{Ref/Reuse|changes}}

*3 [[M4093 Hyperion nuclear delivery system]] silos{{Ref/Reuse|Bulletin 10.10.12}}

|complement          = *782{{Ref/Reuse|FUDP1}}

**[[UNSC Marine Corps|UNSC Marines]]{{Ref/Reuse|H3TheArk}}

***[[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers]]{{Ref/Reuse|H3TheArk}}

**3+ [[M808C Scorpion]]s{{Ref/Reuse|H3TheArk}}

**[[M12 Warthog]]s{{Ref/Reuse|H3TheArk}}

**[[AV-14 Hornet]]s

**7+ [[D77H-TCI Pelican]]s{{Ref/Reuse|H3TheArk}}

**[[M8823 drop pod]]s

The '''UNSC ''Forward Unto Dawn''''' ([[hull classification symbol]]: '''FFG-201''', UNSC REG: UNSC_REG // '''77263.000_A'''), was a {{Class|Charon|light frigate}} in the [[UNSC Navy]].{{Ref/Reuse|guide}} Affectionately known by her crew as "The ''Dawn''",{{Ref/Reuse|Id=H3TheArk}}<ref>'''[[Halo 3: Official Strategy Guide]]''', ''page 109''</ref> the ship's name is taken from [[Forward Unto Dawn (poem)|a poem]] about humanity's interstellar expansion. With a maximum complement of 782,<ref name="FUDP1">'''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn''', ''Part 1''</ref> the ''Dawn'' participated in the final battles of the [[Human-Covenant War]].{{Ref/Reuse|Id=H3TheArk}}

== Service history ==

==== Battle for Earth ====

As of [[2552#November|November 2552]], ''Forward Unto Dawn'' was part of the UNSC's [[Seventh Fleet]], which was part of the [[UNSC Home Fleet|Home Fleet]] after [[2552#September|September 5, 2552]].{{Ref/Generic|Id=NRA|Heading=[[Halo Legendary Crate]]|Subheading=[[Halo Legendary Crate/Data Drops|Data Drop #2]]|Detail=[[:File:LC 002 Doc 3.jpg|Naval Records Archives]]}} The ''Dawn'' was recalled to reinforce the Home Fleet during the [[Battle for Earth]] against the Covenant, now led by the [[Jiralhanae]] after turning against the [[Sangheili]] when the [[Great Schism]] began.{{Ref/Reuse|guide}} The UNSC suffered very heavy casualties from the [[Prophet of Truth]]'s [[Truth's fleet|massive Covenant combined fleet]] when it arrived in the later stages of the Battle for Earth.{{Ref/Site|Id=dreadnought|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/dreadnought|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Dreadnought|D=25|M=07|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=hbc286|Novel=[[Halo: Broken Circle]] (Google Books)|Page=286|Quote=He has taken what is left of the Covenant fleets and is heading for the human world, Earth. He is seeking the Ark.|Quotee=[[G'torik 'Klemmee]]}}{{Ref/Reuse|H3CN}} By the time [[SPARTAN-II Program|Spartan]] [[John-117]] arrived from [[Installation 05]] aboard the [[Prophet of Truth]]'s [[Forerunner Dreadnought]], ''Forward Unto Dawn'' was one of the few ships remaining under [[Fleet Admiral]] [[Terrence Hood]]'s command. Due to the lack of [[Capital ship|larger and more powerful vessels]], Hood used the ''Dawn'' as his flagship during the Battle of Voi. He agreed to commit ''Forward Unto Dawn'' and at least six other frigates of the [[Battle Group Victory]] against the grounded Dreadnought, which had begun interfacing with the [[Forerunner]] [[The Portal|structure]] the [[Covenant]] had unearthed between the cities of [[Mombasa]] and [[Voi]].{{Ref/Level|Id=H3CN|Game=Halo 3|Level=Crow's Nest}}  After the Spartan destroyed the Covenant's local anti-air defenses, the frigates and several [[C712 Longsword]]s assaulted the Dreadnought.{{Ref/Reuse|Id=TheStorm}}

 

The [[Flood]] arrived in Voi shortly after the opening of the slipspace portal; the parasite was pursued by a portion of [[Covenant separatists|Sangheili]] [[Fleet of Retribution]], led by the [[assault carrier]] ''[[Shadow of Intent]]'' and commanded by [[Fleetmaster]] [[Rtas 'Vadum]], supporting the UNSC to stop the Flood threat.{{Ref/Reuse|Id=Floodgate}}  After the infection had been cleansed, the Sangheili and UNSC viewed a message from Cortana, warning them that the Gravemind itself was coming to Earth.{{Ref/Reuse|Id=Floodgate}}  They further learned that there was a [[Installation 08|solution]] to the Flood on the other side of the Portal - one that did not require firing the remaining [[Halo Array|Halos]].{{Ref/Reuse|Id=Floodgate}} 

'Vadum insisted that Elites and humans both go through the Portal to deal with Truth and the Flood once and for all.  Though skeptical, Lord Hood agreed to commit some forces to the mission. To this end, the ''Forward Unto Dawn'' alongside a portion of the Seventh Fleet including {{UNSCShip|Aegis Fate}} joined Sangheili forces of the Fleet of Retribution; elements of the [[11th Marine Force Reconnaissance/ODST]] were also tasked with gathering intelligence on whatever lay beyond the portal. Hood gave [[Commander]] [[Miranda Keyes]] command of ''Forward Unto Dawn'' while he remained behind to coordinate Earth's remaining defenses; the ship was docked inside ''Shadow of Intent''{{'}}s massive hangar bay and the task force set off through the portal.{{Ref/Level|Id=Floodgate|Game=Halo 3|Level=Floodgate}}

==== Operation: BLIND FAITH ====

{{Quote|I'm giving the [[Jiralhanae|Brutes]] all I've got, but this is a heavy-weight fight! The ''Dawn''{{'}}s only got the tonnage to last a few rounds.|Commander Miranda Keyes during the battle over the Ark.}}

Once at the Ark, the UNSC-Sangheili allied fleet and Truth's numerically-superior massive Jiralhanae fleet engaged one another.{{Ref/Reuse|Id=H3TheArk}} The ''Dawn'' was ill-equipped to fight against such large opponents, but was able to engage the enemy warships for a short time. At the same time, the ''Dawn'' deployed troops to the surface, with John-117's team disabling a [[Type-27 Anti-Aircraft Cannon|Mantis AA gun]] and a pair of [[Ogab'd-pattern anti-aircraft Wraith|Anti-Air Wraiths]].{{Ref/Reuse|Id=H3TheArk}} Once a landing zone was cleared, ''Forward Unto Dawn'' set down near the [[Cartographer]] and directly offloaded several [[M808C Scorpion]]s and [[M12 Warthog]]s.{{Ref/Level|Id=H3TheArk|Game=Halo 3|Level=The Ark}}

As the human-Sangheili alliance pushed toward the installation's [[Installation 00 Citadel|control center]], [[Sergeant Major]] [[Avery Johnson]] was captured so that Truth could force him to activate the [[Halo Array]].{{Ref/Reuse|Id=TheCovenant}} Around this time, the Flood arrived at the Ark via the now-infested [[High Charity]] and began attacking both sides.{{Ref/Reuse|Id=TheCovenant}} Commander Keyes attempted a daring rescue, though she was killed personally by the Prophet of Truth.{{Ref/Reuse|Id=TheCovenant}} Nevertheless, the Chief and the Arbiter succeeded in killing Truth and stopping the Halo Array from being fired.{{Ref/Reuse|Id=TheCovenant}} Shortly thereafter, John-117, [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]], and [[monitor]] [[343 Guilty Spark]] discovered that the Ark was manufacturing a [[Installation 08|replacement]] for [[Installation 04]];{{Ref/Level|Id=TheCovenant|Game=Halo 3|Level=[[The Covenant (level)|The Covenant]]}} it was then determined that igniting the ring could destroy both the Flood and the Covenant with a single, decisive blow.{{Ref/Reuse|Id=TheCovenant}}

==== Raid on Installation 08 ====

{{Quote|Well, some of us made it.|Cortana, after escaping Installation 08.}}  

With the rest of ''Forward Unto Dawn''{{'}}s crew and complement dead or aboard the remaining Sangheili vessels, Johnson brought the ship a few kilometers from the incomplete ring's [[Control Room]] and closed the distance in a Warthog.{{Ref/Level|Id=Halo|Game=Halo 3|Level=[[Halo (Halo 3 level)|Halo]]}} Ultimately, Johnson was betrayed and killed by Guilty Spark, who was in turn [[Eleventh Hour reports|apparently]] destroyed by the Spartan.{{Ref/Reuse|Halo}}  The ring was activated, and John and the Arbiter raced to the now-deserted ''Dawn''.{{Ref/Reuse|Halo}} After crashing Johnson's Warthog into the ship's oversized cargo bay, 'Vadam headed for the bridge while the Spartan uploaded [[Cortana]] into the ship's mainframe to activate the engines.{{Ref/Reuse|Halo}} The ship entered the slipspace portal, which collapsed as the ring's energy pulse hit. ''Forward Unto Dawn'' was cut in half as a result.{{Ref/Reuse|Halo}}

The forward section, containing the Arbiter, returned to [[Earth]] and crashed into the Indian Ocean, and he was rescued from the wreckage by a UNSC recovery team.{{Ref/Reuse|Halo}} Data retrieved from the forward section's internal systems exhibited the Master Chief's interactions with several [[Z-9930 Information Vector Console|terminals]] on Installation 00. For humanity, this data shed light on the Forerunners' final days before the Halo Array's activation. ONI scientists discerned the terminal data was incomplete, but understood the significance the [[Librarian]], [[Ur-Didact]] and [[IsoDidact]] played in the Array's activation.<ref>'''[[Halo Mythos]]''', ''page 161''</ref>

==== Adrift in space ====

[[File:H3 - FUD aft.jpg|thumb|300px|The ''Dawn''{{'}}s aft half drifting in space.]]

The aft section emerged in unknown space, John and Cortana having survived the Halo's pulse. The Spartan and AI were left in a drifting hulk without working propulsion. After Cortana dropped a [[emergency locator beacon|distress beacon]], John entered a [[cryo chamber]] to wait for recovery.{{Ref/Reuse|Halo}} During the years that followed, Cortana remained active and alert while the Spartan slept in cryo. In [[2556]], the AI compiled a history of the [[Forerunner]]s and humanity and shared it with the still-unconscious Spartan.<ref>'''Halo Legends''' - ''Origins''</ref> She later took the opportunity to overhaul and upgrade John's [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark VI|Mark VI MJOLNIR armor]], making modifications to its layout using [[nanotechnology|nanomachines]] while also rewriting its firmware.<ref name="Dawn">'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Dawn]]''</ref>

==== Battle of Requiem ====

On [[2557#July|July 20, 2557]],<ref name="Game Informer May 2012">'''Game Informer''': ''May 2012''</ref> precisely four years, seven months, and ten days after the Battle of Installation 00, Cortana noticed that the ship's intruder alarms had been activated and awakened John-117 from [[Cryonics|cryosleep]]. After being revived, John fought off the intruders, who turned out to be [[Sangheili]], [[Kig-Yar]] and [[Unggoy]]. The Chief and Cortana soon realized that a [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|Covenant fleet]] had surrounded the ''Forward Unto Dawn's'' remains while a group of [[Type-44 Phantom|Phantoms]] unloaded more boarders onto the heavily damaged frigate. During the fight through the ship, the Master Chief managed to launch one of the ship's [[M4093 Hyperion nuclear delivery system|''Hyperion'' nuclear missiles]] and destroy a nearby {{Pattern|Zanar|light cruiser}} which was approaching to destroy the ship's remains with its ventral [[energy projector]] but did not bother to raise its shields. Shortly afterwards, the ''Dawn's'' remains were caught in the [[gravity well]] of the [[Forerunner]] [[shield world]] of [[Requiem]] and was drawn inside. Though John attempted to escape using one of the ''Dawn's'' escape pods, he was sucked into space before he could board one.{{Ref/Reuse|Dawn}} The remnants of the ''Dawn'' did not survive atmospheric entry and the ship was torn to pieces, scattered over a kilometers-wide swath on the surface, along with the attacking Covenant vessels.{{Ref/Level|Id=Requiem|H4|[[Requiem (level)|Requiem]]}}

Fortunately, dozens of weapons and a handful of [[M12 Light Reconnaissance Vehicle|M12 Warthog LRVs]] survived the crash, enabling John and Cortana to scout the surface of the shield world. Having discovered Cortana's distress beacon, the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} was deployed to recover the ''Dawn's'' survivors.{{Ref/Reuse|Requiem}} ''Infinity's'' crew, still following the beacon, attempted to find the ''Dawn's'' crash site inside the installation. However, the ship's locator signal was being faked by the [[Forerunner]] supreme commander known as the [[Ur-Didact]], who attempted to draw the ''Infinity'' inside Requiem to enact his plan of vengeance upon humanity.{{Ref/Level|Id=Forerunner|H4|[[Forerunner (level)|Forerunner]]}} The wreckage was presumably destroyed along with Requiem itself in [[2558|February 2558]].<ref>''[[Spartan Ops]]'', [[S1/Exodus|S1E10 - ''Exodus'']]</ref>

[[File:FUD H3-Hyperion H4-scaled2.jpg|thumb|250px|A scaled comparison between the ''Halo 3'' and ''Halo 4'' depictions of the ship's aft section.]]

''Forward Unto Dawn'' underwent a major redesign in ''[[Halo 4]]'', though [[343 Industries]] writer [[Jeff Easterling]] has since confirmed that the ship's original appearance is considered canon.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-have-s-moa '''Halo Waypoint:''' ''Canon Fodder - Have S'moa'']</ref> A modified version of the design is used as the appearance of the {{Class|Strident|heavy frigate}}.

 

Despite maintaining a [[:File:Infinity fud scale.jpg|generally similar profile]], the ship appears much larger, with more of the forward half remaining intact. This increase in scale was intended to create a more interesting playspace, much like the dramatic upscaling of the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} in ''[[The Maw]]''; otherwise, the first level's playspace would have been cramped and required a great deal of backtracking. The scale is further confused as the ''Dawn'' dwarfs the 300-meter {{Pattern|Zanar|light cruiser}}s encountered in the level. The ship's cryotubes have also been remodeled and the cryo bay has been rearranged.

The enlarged cargo bay (a defining feature of the ''Charon'' class) is greatly reduced in size and moved farther forward, creating an inconsistency with ''Halo 3''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[Halo (Halo 3 level)|final level]]. Rather than having two primary engines on the main hull and two secondaries on the "wings", there are only two primary engines with one secondary nestled between them. The port and starboard hangar bays have been reduced from five small bays on either side to one much larger bay on either side; they are moved much farther back, remaining with the aft section. The visual armament has been changed; rather than the four dual-barreled guns, six quad-barreled point defense guns and five triple-barreled turrets are mounted on the upper portion of the hull. These are similar in design to the [[M870 Rampart point defense gun|M870 Ramparts]] and [[Mark 55 Castor naval coilgun]]s found on the ''Strident''-class.<ref name="H4InGame">[[:File:H4fudback.jpg|''Forward Unto Dawn''{{'}}s starboard hull.]]</ref>

==Trivia==

*On the lower part of the bow there is a black "7" inside a yellow star with a yellow chevron under it, which shows the ship's assignment to the Seventh Fleet. This is one of [[Bungie]]'s myriad references to the number [[seven]].

*All three frigates in the level ''The Storm'' use the same textures as ''Forward Unto Dawn''.

*Like the main vessels of ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' and ''[[Halo 2]]'', ([[UNSC Pillar of Autumn|''Pillar of Autumn'']] and ''[[UNSC In Amber Clad|In Amber Clad]]'', respectively), ''Forward Unto Dawn'' serves as the main vessel in ''[[Halo 3]]''{{'}}s campaign and is likewise destroyed near the end of the game.

== Gallery ==

File:H3-ForwardUntoDawnSide.png|Profile view of the UNSC ''Forward Unto Dawn'' in ''[[Halo 3]]''.

File:Ark3.jpg|The ''Dawn'' deploys its wing of Pelicans to the surface of Installation 00 while flying in formation with the ''Shadow of Intent''.  

File:H3  Ark ForwardUntoDawn.jpg|The ''Dawn'' arrives over Installation 00.

File:DawnBase.jpg|The ''Dawn'' deploys its ground forces onto the Ark via its lowering platforms.  

File:FUD-04-00.JPG|The ''Forward Unto Dawn'' hovering over the new Installation 08 with the Ark in the skyline.

File:FUD Escaping The Ark.jpg|The ''Dawn'' escapes Installation 08's activation.

File:Fud bridge.JPG|The interior of the ''Forward Unto Dawn's'' bridge.

File:HW2-FFG-201.png|The UNSC ''Forward Unto Dawn''{{'}}s hull classification symbol appearing aboard the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} in an earlier build of ''[[Halo Wars 2]]''.

File:HW2 Screenshot FuDWreckage.png|Part of the wreckage of the UNSC ''Forward Unto Dawn'', seen on Installation 00 in ''[[Halo Wars 2]]''.

File:HW2 Ark2.png|UNSC ''Forward Unto Dawn'' at several dozens of thousands kilometers above Installation 00.

=== Non-canonical depiction ===

File:Planet 1.jpg|The aft half of the ''Dawn'' being pulled into Requiem in the [[Halo 4 announcement trailer|''Halo 4'' announcement trailer]].

File:H4FUD Forward Unto Dawn.jpg|The ''Dawn'' in ''[[Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn]]''.

File:H4 DawnCryoBay Preproduction Concept.jpg|Extremely early pre-production concept art for ''Forward Unto Dawn''s cryo bay in ''Halo 4''.

File:H4-Concept-Dawn-Explorations-1.jpg|Early concepts of the ''Forward Unto Dawn'' for ''[[Halo 4]]''.

File:H4-Concept-Dawn-Explorations-2.jpg|Profile design concepts of the ''Forward Unto Dawn''.

File:H4-Concept-Charon-Frigate.jpg|Finalized concept art of the ''Forward Unto Dawn'' prior to being "halved".

File:H4-Concept-Dawn-Explorations-3.jpg|Engine design concepts of the ''Forward Unto Dawn''.

File:H4-Concept-Dawn-Explorations-4.jpg|Engine design concepts of the ''Forward Unto Dawn''.

File:Infinity fud scale.jpg|Size comparison between the ''Infinity'' and ''Forward Unto Dawn'' in ''Halo 4''.

File:H4fudback.jpg|The ''Dawn''{{'}}s aft half drifting in space in ''Halo 4''.

File:Dawn.jpeg|The ''Dawn''{{'}}s cryobay.

File:H4-Dawn-OperationsRoom.jpg|The ''Dawn''{{'}}s operations room.

File:Covenant fleet surrounding FUD.jpg|Jul 'Mdama's fleet converging around the ''Forward Unto Dawn'' in ''Halo 4''{{'}}s [[Terminal (Halo 4)|terminals]].

File:Megabrand - Forward unto Dawn.jpg|An intact ''Halo 4'' ''Forward Unto Dawn'' signature toy by [[MEGA Brands]].

File:H4 UNSC Forward Unto Dawn render.jpg|A side view of the model used in ''Halo 4''.

File:H4 UNSC Forward Unto Dawn views-renders.jpg|Angled views of the model used in ''Halo 4''.

File:H4TEVG-FUD-AftHalf-Side.png|Model as seen in ''Halo 4''.

File:HE-DawnAft.png| The aft section of the UNSC ''Forward Unto Dawn'' as seen in ''[[Halo: Escalation]]''.

{{Ref/Sources}}

[[Category:Charon-class light frigates]]

[[Category:UNSC ships]]