Union Aerospace Corporation
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The Union Aerospace Corporation (UAC) is a fictional military-industrial conglomerate, based in id Software's Doom universe. Their focus is primarily military weaponry, aerospace, bio-research, and other more sinister scientific endeavors. It is probably named after the infamous Union Banking Corporation, and may have been inspired by the legendary Weyland-Yutani Corporation from the Alien universe.
History
Originally, the Doom storyline was quite different from the version finally used in Doom and Doom II. According to Tom Hall's Doom Bible [link], the story unfolds on a military base, located on an alien planet called Tei Tenga. The managing organization is called the UAAF (United Aerospace Armed Forces), sent to guard the installation. The UAC is only ever specifically mentioned in the Doom Bible as side notes; its importance seems to be somewhat reduced (its focus mainly military?). Originally the UAC was known as the UNITED Aerospace Corporation.Doom and Doom II
Doom 1 placed the UAC bases on Mars and its two moons Deimos and Phobos. Little detail was given about UAC's activities given the sketchy nature of these games' plot, but it was made clear that the UAC was a major contractor with the United States Government, probably the reason for their bases being guarded by Marines (of which the player is one)and that Mars was the UAC's HeadQuarters, Phobos and Demios where the main R&D bases and had teleporters linking them together.These research facilities were built near ancient ruins (the Anomalies) that the UAC discovered could be used to teleport objects between the two moons. Human volunteers sent through the gateways either disappeared or suffered madness and eventual spontaneous combustion.
It is of note that the result of the Anomalies eventual conversion to interdimensional gateways seems to have resulted more from the UAC's negligence and ignorance, rather than the outright malice displayed by similar entities like Weyland-Yutani.
Doom 3
With the retelling to the first Doom, the game received a large overhaul, greatly developing the story. Increased focus was placed on the importance of the UAC research being conducted (specifically research under the guidance of Malcolm Betruger) by the Delta labs division. A great deal of the UAC’s research seems to be focused on teleportation, and experimentation with species retrieved from beyond the teleport.Doom Movie
The UAC has a role in the Doom movie. But their ambitions and scientific work deviate from the games, as they focus on genomic research instead of teleportation into Hell.It should be noted, however, that Genomic research was mentioned in Doom 3.
Technology and research
Throughout Doom 3, references are made (through email, audio logs and video discs) to current UAC research projects. This generally ranges from the information videos about the UAC base, to instruction videos on the latest weaponry (the BFG9000).The UAC, although technologically advanced, harbors a certain cheapness. Under its perfect, technological exterior lurks a myriad of wires, leaking pipes, and other assorted systems on the verge of breakdown. To somewhat sardonic effect in-game, one of the videos mention that they vent the steam byproduct of water and oxygen production in the base throughout the entire facility through hidden pipes, serving as a somewhat-cheap scare tactic against the player.
The UAC makes use of their Mars facility to conduct research "outside of moral and legal obligations" as said in the introductory text sequence to the game. Presumably they are too far away to be reliably monitored by Earth authorities, and their corporate strength offers them substantial political power.
It should be noted that not all the research being conducted at the base was approved or known by their board of directors. Dr. Malcolm Betruger's unsanctioned pursuance of research stemming from their teleportation technology was enough to alarm the board into sending a high-ranking inspector with a heavily-armed escort to investigate the base, after a whistleblower, Dr. Elizabeth McNeil, informed them of the potential danger the Doctor posed. Also noted is that she was transferred back to Earth by Betruger forcibly before the events of the game, for poking too much into his research.
UAC website
For the promotion of Doom 3, id Software created a fake [UAC website]. The "trajectory" mentioned on the site has two meanings. Within the context of the game, it represented the estimated arrival time to Mars of the shuttle that carried the Marine, Swann and Campbell. In real life, it was actually a countdown to the game's release date. (The site now redirects to the [id Software website].)Recently the Doom RPG game for cellphones was released. On the main [Doom RPG] website there are links to what seems to be a more realistic [Union Aerospace Corporation] website. Many of the links lead to Access Denied pages. It holds some more information on the history of the UAC.
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