Project CHRYSANTHEMUM

Project: CHRYSANTHEMUM is a set of SPARTAN-III bio-augmentation procedures, similar to those of the SPARTAN-II's but different in three main regards. With advances in technology, the casualty rate for SPARTAN-III candidates was usually 0%, as opposed to the 56% casualty rate of the SPARTAN-IIs. The Spartan-III's had no need of a thyroid implant, and their augmentations were chemically induced instead of surgically implanted.

In comparison to Spartan-IIs
Spartan-III candidates came from a much wider gene pool than Spartan-II candidates did. Unlike the Spartan-IIIs, all the Spartan-II candidates possessed "perfect" genes that allowed their augmentations to have the greatest effects. This means that, even though the Spartan-IIIs received most of the Spartan-IIs' augmentations (other than the Catalytic Thyroid Implant, which produced significant gain in muscle mass and strengthened bone structure), the "perfect" genes of the Spartan-II candidates produced superior results.

For example, the augmentation that supposedly gave Spartan-IIs a 300% boost in reflexes (Superconducting Fibrification of Neural Dendrites) in reality caused a 1400% boost in reflexes, due to the genes of the Spartan-II candidates.

An exception to this would be NOBLE Team. The members of NOBLE Team, although they were Spartan-III's, possessed the same, or similar, extraordinary genes of the Spartan-II candidates, and thus were formed into a team and equipped with MJOLNIR armor.

Performance
The Spartan-IIIs, although generally inferior to Spartan-IIs were still very capable of superhuman feats associated with Spartans.

During Operation: TORPEDO, Tom-B292, 12 years old at the time and equipped only with SPI armor, engaged a Covenant Elite armed with a Plasma Pistol and an energy sword in hand to hand combat. The Spartan's enhanced reflexes allowed him to dodge a Plasma Pistol bolt and sword swing at point blank range. He then proceeded to throw the Elite to the ground and finish it off with his assault rifle. It is also stated that during the battle, Elites and Jackals moved out of cover because they realized that it was suicide to face Spartans in close quarters. During Operation: TORPEDO, Tom-B292 ran at a speed of 30 KPH (around 18 MPH). Spartan-IIIs were also described to have been moving with "speed and reflexes that no Covenant could follow". "They dodged, snapped necks and limbs, and with captured energy swords, they cut through the enemy until the field ran with rivers of gore and blue blood". The 300 or so Spartan-III's faced thousands upon thousands of Covenant, including Covenant air support, and were described to have been winning the battle until 7 Covenant cruisers emerged as reinforcements.

It was stated by Mendez that as Spartans grew older, they only grew stronger, and faster as their bodies grew accustomed to their augmentations. During the battle on Pegasi Delta, Beta Company ranged from age 7 through 12. If the Spartan-III's lived long enough to mature, their physical abilities would have improved significantly.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
 * Birth of a Spartan