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Office of Naval Intelligence

From Halopedia, the Halo wiki

This article describes about the intelligence branch of the UNSC. For the Halo 3: ODST track, see The Office of Naval Intelligence (music).


Office of Naval Intelligence
ONI Seal 1.png

Affiliation:

United Nations Space Command

Branch:

UNSC Navy

Type:

Intelligence service

Role:

  • Fleet observation and analysis
  • Propaganda
  • Espionage
  • Clandestine reconnaissance
  • Advanced research

Motto:

Semper Vigilans (Always Vigilant)[1]

Nicknames:

Spooks[2]

Engagements:

Insurrection
Human-Covenant War
Great Schism
Sangheili Civil War
Human-Promethean War

Commanders:

Admiral Margaret Parangosky
Commander-in-Chief Naval Intelligence

 

The Office of Naval Intelligence, acronym ONI (pronounced as /oʊni/), is the intelligence service of the UNSC Navy. Its formal name is the UNSC Military Intelligence Division.[3]

Role

The Office of Naval Intelligence is a division of the UNSC Navy that is responsible for UNSC SIGINT [signals intelligence], HUMINT [human intelligence], counter-espionage and propaganda.

It is responsible for intelligence matters across the UNSC. As such, ONI employs members of other military branches, and even civilians, to complete the Division's shadowy work. Many of its functions and subdivisions, like the Beta-5 Division and the SPARTAN-II Program, are enigmatic, and its personnel are regarded as mysteries by mainstream naval officers. ONI personnel, especially officers, are often referred to as "spooks". Agents appear to enjoy significant latitude in the discharge of their duties, often violating legal and moral boundaries or acquiring vast amounts of UNSC resources to achieve their ends.

Although it is technically subordinate to the UNSC Naval Command, in practice, however, ONI's activities extend far beyond intelligence gathering, and often receives mandates and directives from HIGHCOM itself.[4] ONI's Commander-in-Chief (CINCONI),[5] Margaret Parangosky, is even considered by some to be the most powerful human alive.[6]

Operations

An alternate ONI symbol.

The Office of Naval Intelligence often operates independently of other UNSC branches. At times it contravenes the law and UNSC protocol to complete top-secret missions. All other competing intelligence services have been snuffed out long ago to ensure ONI's supremacy - the AI Black-Box states that "...there are no rival agencies. We castrated them all. Left them cowering in our shadow".[7]

It appears to have an unusually large amount of military equipment for an intelligence service, and has a strong fleet presence. The Office of Naval Intelligence possesses a 'destroyer'-class prowler, the UNSC Point of No Return, which is used as a command vessel and a secure conference location. ONI also maintains the UNSC's Prowler fleet, a major source of Covenant deployment intelligence, under the auspices of the UNSC Prowler Corps. ONI also manages field intelligence with units such as ONI Recon 111 liaising with mainstream UNSC military units.[8]

Intra-ONI dynamics are often strained with intense competition amongst its own personnel. Agents operate under heavy scrutiny, with mistakes often leading to demotion or termination of employment.

Subdivisions

Section Zero

The most secretive section, Section Zero's existence is not general knowledge outside ONI. Details of its role and operations are limited. Based on the records of an AI named Melissa, it is thought to be ONI Internal Affairs, charged with rooting out and eliminating illegal programs.[9] Section Zero is very discreet in its work; the true nature and activities of the division are highly classified and unknown outside the ONI command hierarchy. Zero is, essentially, an internal investigations branch that polices other ONI activities.[10]

This section has gained notoriety as the keepers of sealed ORION Project file archives, including Avery Johnson's. As Internal Affairs, it enforces the rules and ensures agency standards are met. Section Zero is authorized to use lethal force in the course of its operations.

Section One

Section One is the main branch of ONI, whose services are most often utilized by UNSC forces. Its responsibilities include information gathering and codebreaking. Information released by Section One includes evacuation notices for colony worlds and Covenant force deployments. [10]

Section Two

Benjamin Giraud working to propagandise a battle scene.
A civilian contractor works with Section Two to make battlefield imagery appear less intimidating.

Section Two is the propaganda branch of ONI. It handles communication between colonies to reduce the spread of rumors and information that would damage morale.[11] It was responsible for releasing details of the SPARTAN-II program to the public to boost morale throughout the UNSC.[12] Once information about the Spartans was released to the public, Section Two had to maintain the Spartans' near-mythical status within the military by listing those killed in action as MIA. It was believed that news of Spartan deaths would cripple the UNSC's already-flagging morale.[10] Section Two is also responsible for broadcasting pre-recorded human carrier signals from various locations into slipspace to confuse Covenant triangulation technology, preventing them from discovering Earth.[13]

Section Three

Section Three is the top-secret projects division of ONI. It is responsible for the SPARTAN-II and SPARTAN-III programs, the MJOLNIR project, the development of the NOVA bomb, and many other black operations.[10] Though a few of Section Three's programs are well-known and are widely celebrated for their success, the Marine Corps and top brass of the UNSC treat most with contempt. This is especially true of the Spartans, who are regarded as "freaks" by some humans. Though its overall purpose is unknown, Section Three's Beta-3 Division is known to analyze captured Covenant technology such as the Kig-yar point defense gauntlet.[14] In addition to performing black operations, Section Three's Beta-5 Division operates the SPARTAN-III program, which is kept secret from the majority of Section Three. This compartmentalization is designed to ensure secrecy and security. Section Three presumably contains the Materials Group, which develops technologically advanced matériel, most notably the MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor.

UNSC Prowler Corps

The prowler UNSC Aladdin.
Main article: UNSC Prowler Corps

The ONI branch that handles the prowlers and its electronic intelligence gathering.[15]

ONI Signal Corps

Main article: ONI Signal Corps

The Signal Corps is tasked with broadcasting radio signals in order to confuse Covenant fleet and troop movements, diverting attention from UNSC colonies that are evacuating.[16]

Aesthetic

Many Office of Naval Intelligence facilities employ a very distinct style of architecture and design, which reflects the organization's role and field of work. Whereas the typical UNSC aesthetic favors a militaristic and utilitarian approach, ONI's structures are often monumental and imposing, covered in angular surfaces and sharp edges, resulting in an overall impression similar to a stealth aircraft, a motif also present in the ONI's prowler stealth ships. The angled exteriors are contrasted by crisp, sterile interior spaces with cold-toned lighting and chiefly white surfaces as well as heavy use of glass and steel in larger spaces such as atriums. Examples of such architecture can be found in ONI's SWORD Base, shaped like an upward-pointing wedge covered in metallic plating, the needle-like Olympic Tower, as well as the enormous, cube-shaped ONI Alpha Site in New Mombasa.

Known ONI personnel

Template:Scroll box

ONI ships

ONI facilities

Reach

Main article: Reach

Onyx

Main article: Onyx

Earth

Main article: Earth

Arcadia

Main article: Arcadia

Installation 03

Main article: Installation 03

ONI units

NavSpecWar

Main article: UNSC Special Forces

Trivia

  • In reality, the Office of Naval Intelligence is an agency of the United States Navy that was established in 1882.
  • ONI's motto, "Semper Vigilans",[1] is also the motto of the United States Civil Air Patrol. The phrase is Latin for "Always vigilant."
  • ONI's pre-Halo 3: ODST insignia features the all-seeing eye, a nod to ONI's line of work. The current symbol may also be interpreted as a stylized depiction of the eye motif.
  • "Oni" is the name of one of Bungie's previous games, which predates Halo: Combat Evolved. It is also the name of an ogre-like creature from Japanese mythology.
  • The ONI insignia can be used as a Firefight emblem in Halo 3: ODST.

Gallery

List of appearances

Sources

  1. ^ a b Halo: First Strike, page 49
  2. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 18
  3. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 19
  4. ^ Halo Encyclopedia
  5. ^ Halo 4 Official Site: STORY
  6. ^ Halo: Glasslands
  7. ^ Halo: Glasslands, chapter 17
  8. ^ Halo 3 Epsilon, campaign level, Tsavo Highway
  9. ^ a b I Love Bees
  10. ^ a b c d Halo Encyclopedia
  11. ^ Halo: First Strike, page 98 ("ONI Section Two had done a brilliant job of preserving the fiction that Earth forces held their own against the Covenant.")
  12. ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 46
  13. ^ Cole Protocol, Hypodermic-FXT-J
  14. ^ Dr. Halsey's journal, January 10, 2536 entry - third page
  15. ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 326
  16. ^ TVG Chats To The ILoveBees Operator
  17. ^ Halo 3, campaign level, Tsavo Highway

External Links

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