An Overview of the SPARTAN V

The basic concept for the SPARTAN program has been around since the late 22nd century when the first bioengineering protocols were developed for interplanetary war. Since the establishment of these protocols humans have been using performance enhancing equipment and augmentations to make them stronger and faster than previously thought possible. These super soldiers have been deployed numerous times throughout human conflict, leading up to and during the Human-Covenant war. The SPARTAN program first arose as a brilliant plan to enhance normal human soldiers into powerfully augmented special operations commandos. Initially the three separate programs were humanity's various attempts to create the perfect soldiers, in order to patrol the colonies, protect civilian and government populations, crush uprisings in their infancy and ensure others didn't rise up as a result.

The SPARTAN soldiers of the UNSC are named after the ancient Spartans of Greece, specifically during the time of the Persian invasion led by Xerxes I. The wars between invading Persians and defending Greeks would be known as the Greco-Persian Wars, lasting from 499-448 B.C. During this war, the famous Battle of Thermopylae occurred. 300 Spartan soldiers leading 2,000 other Greeks, postponed a force of approximately 1 million Persian warriors. All of the Spartans were eventually killed, but they successfully slaughtered 20,000 Persians, allowing Greece precious time to prepare defenses. Catherine Halsey had three reasons to choose SPARTAN, rather than many other suggested code names. She believed the story of Thermopylae continued to be well-known and cherished throughout the 26th century. Coincidentally, the project was originally funded for 300 applicants. The Spartans' fierce reputation resulted from their legendary training, which began at the age of 6. Dr. Halsey planned to recreate a training system similar to the Spartans' in order to create the ultimate warrior. Spartan culture was based primarily off of warfare, destroying newborns unable to meet strength and fitness requirements. Although considered barbaric during the modern era, Dr. Halsey arranged similar demands.

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Throughout the Human-Covenant War and the Promethean Wars, a total of four Spartan programs were enacted. The first, originally named the Orion Project, and later renamed as the first Spartan Program. Though the Spartans were effective; their abilities fell short of the scientists' hopes, and they cost far too much to develop and field - in 2506 the project was deactivated and the soldiers were reassigned to various special operation units.

In the years following the deactivation of the ORION Project in 2506 the reduced effectiveness of small special forces combating the insurrectionists becomes a serious concern for the UNSC. As the Insurrectionist attacks become more effective and the military's responses heavier; the need for a large-scale military engagement becomes ever-more apparent. The SPARTAN-II project is conceived by Dr. Catherine Halsey of ONI's Section 3 as the successor to the original ORION project and the best possible solution to end the conflict with the Insurrectionists. In 2517 the project begins, although viewed as unethical and marred by controversy, the program produces excellent results - SPARTAN-II soldiers proved to be the most effective weapon in the battle against insurgents. At the outbreak of the Human-Covenant war in 2525 the SPARTAN-IIs are outfitted with the most advanced mechanized armor in human history to help better defend against the alien menace. While the war with the Covenant Empire continues to progress, leaving the insurrection effectively cut off, the SPARTAN-IIs continue to engage Insurrectionist factions who remain significant enough a threat to require SPARTAN-II activity. The SPARTAN-IIs continued to perform their missions effectively, successfully killing off Rebel leaders, and engaging Covenant forces - continuing a seemingly endless series of battles both in the ongoing war against the Covenant, and in the interests of the UNSC.

As the Human-Covenant war progresses and casualties mount exponentially, ONI activates another program that is even more morally questionable than the SPARTAN-II program. Spearheaded by a prominent opposition to Halsey's SPARTAN-II program, Colonel James Ackerson, establishes the SPARTAN-III Program using the previous program as a proof of concept. Designed to be produced more quickly, at a lower cost, and with a lower life expectancy, the SPARTAN-III program is intended for extremely high risk operations conducted in the highest level of secrecy. The SPARTAN-III candidates are once again children, this time taken from orphanages as a result of the loss of their home and family from the Covenant invasion - the S-III candidates are taken to the planet Onyx and are under the leadership of Lieutenant Commander Kurt Ambrose. Throughout the Human-Covenant war three companies of SPARTAN-IIIs are trained, deployed and killed. The first company of S-IIIs Alpha Company is successful in destroying Covenant and Rebel forces during the battles of Mamore, New Constantinople and in the Bonanza Asteroid Belt - their last mission Operation: PROMETHEUS in 2537 is deemed a success, however all of the Spartans of Alpha Company are killed in action. Several teams of SPARTAN-IIIs survived the Battle of Onyx and were trapped in the Shield World with the other remaining SPARTAN-II survivors. With the advance of Covenant Forces, the SPARTAN-III Program ultimately was brought to a halt, with resources, training fields, and numbers too few to continue.

The SPARTAN-IV Program was initiated by Admiral Margaret O. Parangosky after the Human-Covenant war. Instead of kidnapping young children to serve as SPARTANs, the IVs are volunteers from different branches of the military. Some are stationed near the UNSC Infinity in the Oort Cloud. Unlike other SPArTAN units, SPARTAN-IV's were their own branch within the UNSC. They served a pivotal role in the coming Promethean Wars, though ultimately their effectiveness was far less then hoped. Though some soldiers lived up to the name of a SPARTAN, they were as a whole deemed to be little better then glorified soldiers with fancy armor, lacking the training and discipline of the original SPARTAN-II's. While the SPARTAN-IV program was continued for many years, even during the peace time following the Promethean Wars, all SPARTAN-IV's were eventually retired as the culmination of hundreds years of work finally presented itself.

The SPARTAN-V Program was a slow but steady response to the ineffectiveness of SPARTAN-IV's, especially with the obvious superiority of John-117, a SPARTAN-II, without whom the Promethean Wars would've no doubt ended in the extinction of the Human race. With the advancements in technology and biochemistry, SPARTAN-V's returned to the original practice of only recruiting children, though only on a volunteer basis, either by the child themselves, or their parent or guardian. While many frowned on this, the success and regard now in full sight of the public, many found induction into the new SPARTAN-V program to be a great honor for an individual and their family. With the proper augmentations, better armor, and the ability to create more and better AI's, the SPARTAN-V program was and is the most successful program since the SPARTAN-II's, without many of the original drawbacks presented by the original programs.