Bridge

The bridge is the command center of a ship. Normally, this is where the commanding officer resides while in command of the ship and where the bridge officers control the ship's vital functions, such as navigational work, weapons, communications, and monitoring the status of the ship's systems. Various screens and scanners are used to monitor the ship's surroundings; starships that do not possess viewports use external cameras to get a view of the space outside the ship. The bridge of UNSC spacecraft is usually located at the ship's bow. A ship's bridge is sometimes represented by a red star.

In the Covenant, a bridge may also be referred to as a "control room".

Halcyon-class cuisers
The bridge of the consists of several consoles devoted to various functions. There is a large domed viewport at the front of the room which looks out into space. This was evidently meant to be armored before the Autumn 's mission but there hadn't been time. The navigation and helm control officers are suspended in this dome. There are six consoles which line the sides of the room, and two in the center. The captain or commander of the ship stands before a large tactical map which can provide a series of important pieces of information. The holotank for the ship's AI is also located near the captain's station. At the time of its arrival in the Soell system, the Autumn 's bridge was manned by fourteen officers.

The Pillar of Autumn is piloted by two helm control officers which sit suspended in the ship's domed viewport. These officers are presumably responsible for steering the ship at sublight speeds and executing slipspace transitions.
 * Helm Control

There is a console located at the front-left side of the Bridge marked 'LPOD'. The ship's lifepod operations are coordinated from this station.
 * Lifepod Control

The Pillar of Autumn has three tactical stations located in various positions. These consoles are responsible for controlling and maintaining the ship's weapon systems. Auto-cannons, Archer Missile Pods, the Magnetic Accelerator Cannon and Shiva nukes are launched and controlled by the two tactical officers.
 * Tactical

There are two consoles in the Autumn's bridge marked "ENG". They are probably the equivalent of Operations consoles. The ship's nuclear fusion reactors and other engineering functions are maintained here.
 * Engineering

There exist two consoles marked "COM". Obviously, the ship's communications systems are operated here.
 * Communications

UNSC frigates
The bridge of the UNSC frigate In Amber Clad was considerably smaller than that of the Pillar of Autumn, indicative of its smaller size. It is physically located at the top of the ship and also has a viewport which looks into space. The commanding officer sits in a chair, in front of which are the tactical and navigation consoles. There are several other stations behind these three, but they were not manned at the time of its arrival at Installation 05.

UNSC destroyers
By the late 25th century, the bridge of a UNSC destroyer such as the Las Vegas had the navigation, operations, engineering, communications and weapons stations arranged in a narrow oval shape. UNSC heavy destroyers introduced in the late 25th century, such as the, had a raised center with a padded command chair.

UNSC super-heavy cruisers
The Valiant-class super-heavy cruiser Everest possessed a large, cavernous bridge with two dozen bridge stations, used not only to control the ship and its systems, but also to coordinate the activities of the entire battle group. The bridge had massive view screens that stretched from the floor to the ceiling.

Phoenix-class colony ships
The bridge on Phoenix-class colony ships, such as the refit, is located toward the fore of the ship. The bridge is moderately sized, with one main viewport and an elevated platform near the front and smaller windows over the bridge stations. In the center is a large holographic table for displaying tactical information, accompanied by a smaller holo-pedestal reserved for the shipboard AI.

Orbital defense platforms
The bridge of the Cairo orbital defense platform dwarfs the other two encountered. Its ceiling is covered by large windows allowing an unobstructed view of space. There are two raised platforms on either side which overlook the many consoles below. Like the Pillar of Autumn, there is a tactical map located at one side where the station's CO stands. Its large size is presumably because it was designed not only to control the station's systems, but also to coordinate large-scale operations.

Covenant battlecruisers
The control room of the Covenant cruiser Truth and Reconciliation is far more cavernous than its human analogues and appears to require far less controlling crew. It consists of a large room, within which is an "aesthetically barren" raised platform which is surrounded by transparent holographic displays and two larger displays mounted on one of the walls. Only the Ship Master was present on the platform when the Master Chief's incursion happened. Physically, it was located deep within the ship; a far more logical placement than the exposed bridges of many UNSC ships.

Covenant assault carriers
The command center of the Covenant assault carrier Shadow of Intent is far larger than that of Truth and Reconciliation, having two levels with multiple control stations. In the center lies a massive holotank. The bridge also has a hovering command chair for the ship's commander.

However, the bridge of the carrier Clarity of Faith appears to be near-identical to that of Truth and Reconciliation.

Covenant corvettes
The bridge of a Covenant corvette is cavernous and mostly circular in general shape. Like the command centers of other Covenant vessels, the corvette's bridge has multiple stations from which the ship's various functions are controlled. In the center is a large, circular holotank. Noticeable features not shared by other Covenant vessels are the bridge's placement next to the dorsal exterior hull and its massive windows.

Kig-yar privateers
Small Kig-yar privateer ships such as Minor Transgression, used as the Ministry of Tranquility's missionary vessels, possess a small, dimly lit bridge. Near the center is a large holotank, connected to the ship's Luminary, and an elevated command chair. The door to the bridge is composed of two angled halves.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Combat Evolved
 * Halo 2
 * Halo 3
 * Halo Wars
 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo: The Fall of Reach
 * Halo: The Flood
 * Halo: First Strike
 * Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
 * Halo: Contact Harvest
 * Halo: The Cole Protocol
 * Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
 * Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian
 * The Mona Lisa
 * The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole
 * Halo Graphic Novel
 * Halo: Uprising
 * ''i love bees