Factions of Halo - United Nations Space Command

United Nations Space Command

The United Nations Space Command (UNSC) is the main faction of future humanity. Initially, it was the unified command structure for the multinational military forces supporting colonies in space during and after the Interplanetary War. After rebels of the Koslovic movement gained control on Mars in 2163, the United Nations Security Council drafted a resolution, recommending that members of the United Nations provide assistance to colonies in space to repel the armed attacks and to restore colonial peace and security to the area. The resolution, adopted later that year, recommended that members providing military forces and other assistance to the colonies make such forces and other assistance available to a unified command under the United States of America.

On December, 2163, the new UNSC was initiated, with the Argyre Planitia Campaign. The United Nations Space Command and the Frieden and Koslovic commanders signed the Callisto Treaty in 2170, ending the heavy fighting. That same year, the United Earth Government or UEG was established as an extension of the International Court of Justice which was a direct result of the Interplanetary War.

The UNSC is the military arm of the UEG. According to Halo story architects Frank O'Conner and Robt McLees, during the 26th-century events of Halo, the UNSC exercises considerably more power than its civilian counterpart.

Before the beginnings of the war with the Covenant, humanity was in turmoil, with the remote colonies fighting for independence from the UNSC. To help quell the revolts, the UNSC commissioned the highly classified Spartan Project, responsible for the development of four generations of unique special force infantry, collectively called Spartans, who operate in performance-enhancing armor known as MJOLNIR. The Spartans undertook classified missions against rebels and insurrectionists. When the Covenant began decimating the outer colonies, these Spartans became humanity's best hope against the technological superiority of the Covenant.

One of the UNSC's unclassified Special Forces units are the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers or ODSTs. They are also called Helljumpers after their motto "Feet first into hell." They specialize in orbital combat insertions via single-occupant exoatmospheric insertion vehicles or SOEIVs jettisoned from ships in low orbit. The 105th Marine Expeditionary Unit (SOC) are labeled as the 'Helljumpers'. As characterized by author William C. Dietz in Halo: The Flood, the future Corps shares thematic similarities to the present-day United States Marines. The most important Special Force unit in the game is the SPARTAN project, more importantly, the second generation of Spartans within the project - a group of specially trained supersoldiers who are eventually wiped out. The main playable character in the main trilogy, John 117, is the sole known surviving Spartan. The UNSC also has an Army, which serves as a ground defensive force within the UNSC military along with the UNSC Air Force. The UNSC Navy and Marine Corps are mainly responsible for space combat.

The UNSC also field various ground vehicles for combat. Among these is a general purpose scout 'jeep' dubbed the "Warthog" or simply the "'Hog". A real working replica of which was created by special effects company Weta Workshop for a series of shorts by director Neill Blomkamp. This vehicle had fully functioning four-wheel steering, machine-gun, digital displays and air-bags.

The initialisation "UNSC" has occasionally been confused with the United Nations Security Council. For example, on 24 May 2012, a BBC news report on the UN used the Halo UNSC logo, as opposed to the United Nations Security Council logo, as a background image.