Beta-5 Division

The Beta-5 Division is a cell of the Office of Naval Intelligence's Section Three. Like its parent section, the Beta-5 Division is often responsible for the development and application of top-secret, morally questionable projects. The cell is so secretive that few UNSC personnel, including those within ONI, are aware of its existence.

Overview
The Beta-5 Division is charged with operating the SPARTAN-III Program, though many, if not all the SPARTAN-IIIs are placed under the operational command of the UNSC Army. The Beta-5 Division also operates the Asymmetrical Action Group, which was created late in the Human-Covenant War in order to disrupt, disarm, and dissolve Covenant operations. Though the group was initially comprised of unconventional warfare veterans, it eventually recruited Spartans into its ranks; the Beta-5 Division contracted Chalybs Defense Solutions to create a specialized MJOLNIR variant for the AAG's Spartan operators.

The helmet used by Beta-5 security forces, which is derived from the standard CH252 helmet, is a shared asset among the branches of the UNSC Defense Force and has also been adopted as a MJOLNIR variant.

The Beta-5 Division possesses extremely sophisticated decryption facilities.

Henry Glassman was integrated into Beta-5's experimental research group for his work in astrophysics and quantum theory.

Operational history
In 2553, the Beta-5 Division recovered Dr. Catherine Halsey's personal journal from the remains of SWORD Base and immediately declared it top secret.

In April 2609, the Beta-5 operative who possessed the journal, as well as several artifacts pertaining to Noble Team, died; one of this operative's subordinates sent these contents in January 2610 to his cousin, a fellow Beta-5 operative. He warned his cousin about the dangers that possessing the artifacts could cause, as some individuals within Beta-5 Division would be willing to kill to keep their existence a secret.

Trivia
Beta-5 is a reference to the number seven, as beta is the second letter in the Greek alphabet, and 2+5=7.

List of appearances

 * Halo: The Fall of Reach
 * Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
 * Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
 * Headhunters
 * Halo: Reach