UNSC Forward Unto Dawn

The UNSC Forward Unto Dawn, Hull Classification Symbol FFG-201, often referred to as the Dawn, was a United Nations Space Command Frigate.

Second Battle of Earth
During the Second Battle of Earth, it was part of a formation of three UNSC frigates over the African Savannah of the Home Fleet. It fired its Magnetic Accelerator Cannon at a Covenant Loyalist group of one Assault Carrier and two CCS-class Battlecruisers that were in the distance, over the Savannah that was the Cartographer Facility.

Battle of the Ark


Later, it was learned that 343 Guilty Spark was reconstructing a Halo Installation to replace the destroyed Installation 04, and that the Gravemind was remaking itself on this rebuilt Halo. SPARTAN-117, the Arbiter, and Avery J. Johnson dropped onto this installation by means of Pelican Dropship and infiltrated the Control Room despite heavy Flood resistance, attempting to activate Halo and kill the Gravemind.

343 Guilty Spark killed Johnson, but SPARTAN-117 was able to destroy 343 Guilty Spark and escape with the Arbiter in an M12 Warthog LRV from the exploding Halo and exfiltrate into the hangar bay of the empty Forward Unto Dawn.

Escape
The Arbiter took to the bridge, accelerating in a vertical climb away from the installation as it destroyed itself while John clung to the floor panels in the still-open hangar bay. The SPARTAN was nearly crushed by a Scorpion tank that was falling out of the Forward Unto Dawn ' 's hangar.

However, with Cortana praying for him to hang on (recently inserted into the Forward Unto Dawn ' s computer systems), he was able to survive the acceleration forces until the Arbiter piloted The Dawn into the portal, which collapsed unto itself as F.U.D. was halfway through it.

Current Status
The forward half of the vessel, including the Arbiter, was able to transition to Earth and land in the ocean. The latter half of the vessel fell out of slipspace short of Earth. Cortana dropped a distress signal while SPARTAN-117 seals himself in one of the Forward Unto Dawn ' s cryogenic chambers. After an undetermined amount of time, the Forward Unto Dawn ' s latter half was seen drifting towards an unidentified planet, upon which the game promptly concludes. This Cut scene is only witnessed upon completion of the campaign on legendary difficulty.

Trivia

 * It was first seen during the Halo 3 Trailer during E3 2007.