UNSC Providence

UNSC Providence is a fleet escort ship serving in the UNSC Navy, of the ification.

Production notes
The Providence is a ship featured heavily in the first-draft script originally written by lead designer Rob Stokes for Halo 3's campaign. In these early drafts, the ship serves in the role that occupies in the final game - essentially having been renamed. The ship would have served in Battle Group Victory alongside six other vessels (for a total of seven) - others including, , and.

In the script, Providence is stated to be a. However, the Forward Unto Dawn featured in the final game was substantially redesigned and eventually designated the. The ship is featured in several pieces of concept artwork produced during the development of Halo 3. It is one of two such ships heavily featured alongside. Two pieces of art featuring the Providence in combat are featured in the Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition) and its 2011 reprint. The first depicts the ship alongside another, unnamed Charon-class, in naval combat with three s over a planet while the second shows the ship in a similar combat scenario but hit by enemy weaponry and on fire.

The Providence's feature in the encyclopedias, alongside its hull classification symbol having no other canon usage, indicates it may have some element of canonicity - though it has yet to be depicted in any Halo media outside of these features.