| Office of Naval Intelligence | |
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Affiliation: |
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Branch: |
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Type: |
Intelligence service |
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Role: |
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Motto: |
Semper Vigilans (Always Vigilant)[1] |
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Nicknames: |
Spooks[2] |
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Engagements: |
Insurrection |
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Commanders: |
Margaret Parangosky (25XX — 255X) |
The Office of Naval Intelligence, commonly abbreviated as ONI (pronounced phonetically as /oʊni/), is the intelligence service of the UNSC Navy.[note 1]
Role
The Office of Naval Intelligence is responsible for UNSC signals intelligence (SIGINT), human intelligence (HUMINT), 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] is Admiral Serin Osman, successor and protegé to Margaret Parangosky.[6]
Operations
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.
Divisions
Section Zero
Section Zero is ONI's Internal Affairs department, 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.[10] Section Zero is known to withhold secret ORION Project file archives. Section Zero is authorized to use lethal force in the course of its operations.[citation needed]
Section One
Section One is the proper intelligence-gathering branch of ONI. As such, its 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
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 UEG territory.[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 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. The Delta-6 Division has oversight of a unknown number of SPARTAN-IVs in stealth operations, including counterinsurgency missions.[15]
Materials Group
- Main article: Materials Group
The Materials Group is responsible for the development of advanced matériel. The group's most significant development is the Spartans' MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor, as well as the prototype exoskeletons which preceded it. The Materials Group's HRUNTING team revived the exoskeleton project, leading to the development of the Mark III [B] Cyclops. Later, the team merged with the YGGDRASIL project to create the Mark I prototype and Mark IX "Mantis" armor defense systems. Other developments include the XRP12 Gremlin and its X23 EMP cannon; the Zeus-class plasma cannon;[16] and the planet-destroying NOVA bomb.[citation needed]
UNSC Prowler Corps
- Main article: UNSC Prowler Corps
The Prowler Corps oversees the deployment of prowlers and their electronic intelligence gathering.[17]
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 UEG colonies that are evacuating.[18]
REAP-X
The Reverse Engineering and Prototyping–Xenotechnology department (REAP-X) is tasked with developing advanced technologies from alien sources, both Covenant and Forerunner.[19] They receive unlimited funding and resources and are unknown outside the Office of Naval Intelligence.[19] The department was formed from many smaller groups created during the Human-Covenant War. Like the Materials Group, it helped disseminate new weapons and shield technologies to UNSC forces as the war neared its end by way of firms such as Misriah Armory.[19]
Their activities include weapon development, technology research and analysis, reapplication of alien technology, vehicle development, and research into hard light technology.[19] The REAP-X department's greatest breakthrough was the discovery of a working Forerunner slipspace drive used to complete the Template:UNSCship, the post-war flagship of the UNSC Navy. The department utilizes many variants of standard military vehicles modified for special missions.[19]
ONI Security
- Main article: ONI Security
ONI Security is the main security force of the Office of Naval Intelligence.[20] They are generally recruited from UNSC Army and Marine candidates. A detachment of ONI Security was stationed on Ivanoff Station when it was attacked by the Ur-Didact.
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
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
Installation 05
- Main article: Installation 05
Oban
ONI units
- 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, and Halo 4.
Gallery
- 1771878-gallery.png
Concept art of an ONI agent from Halo Legends: Homecoming.
ONI agents abducting John-117 into the SPARTAN-II Program.
ONI agents about to abduct Daisy-023 for the SPARTAN-II Program.
Dr. Halsey's ONI security badge.
The ONI logo against a Forerunner-like background design.
ONI's Alpha Site in New Mombasa.
SWORD Base on Reach.
The Olympic Tower, ONI's Reach headquarters.
List of appearances
Note
- ^ Page 19 of Halo: The Fall of Reach (original printing) names the UNSC Military Intelligence Division when referring to the Office of Naval Intelligence. This name has never been mentioned in subsequent media, though the reference remains in the 2010 re-release of the book. Presumably, this is a real-world mistake rather than an alternate in-universe name; ONI had not yet been firmly integrated within canon, so the Military Intelligence Division may have been a real-world working title for the group.
Sources
- ^ a b Halo: First Strike, page 49
- ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 18
- ^ Spartan Ops, S1E8 Expendable
- ^ Halo Encyclopedia
- ^ Halo 4 Official Site: STORY
- ^ Spartan Ops, S1E8 Expendable
- ^ Halo: Glasslands, chapter 17
- ^ Halo 3 Epsilon, campaign level, Tsavo Highway
- ^ a b I Love Bees
- ^ a b c d Halo Encyclopedia
- ^ 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.")
- ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 46
- ^ Cole Protocol, Hypodermic-FXT-J
- ^ Dr. Halsey's journal, January 10, 2536 entry - third page
- ^ Halo 4 Interactive Guide
- ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 155
- ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 326
- ^ TVG Chats To The ILoveBees Operator
- ^ a b c d e Mega Bloks, Special Report: ONI REAP-X
- ^ Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 34
- ^ Halo 3, campaign level, Tsavo Highway
- ^ Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 34
External Links