| Type | Interplanetary Conglomerate |
| Location | Mars |
| Owner(s) | Ian Kelliher |
| Featured in | Doom |
- “Safer worlds for everyone.”
- ―UAC slogan
The Union Aerospace Corporation (UAC) is a conglomerate focused on military-industrial research. It originates from the 1993 horror and science-fiction video game series Doom.
Overview[]
A UAC facility
The Union Aerospace Corporation was a vast multi-planetary conglomerate specializing in the fields of space exploration, weapons development, advanced technology, biological engineering, and interdimensional research. Mars served as the primary hub for UAC operations, with additional research bases established on Earth, Tei Tenga, and several other offworld sites in the solar system. The corporation also managed radioactive waste facilities on Mars and its two moons, Phobos and Deimos.
UAC was renowned for its cutting-edge advancements in space exploration, interplanetary colonization, and groundbreaking interdimensional gateway technology, aimed at achieving faster-than-light travel and acquiring untapped resources and new sources of energy. However, its relentless pursuit of innovation had also made it infamous for overstepping ethical and scientific boundaries.
History[]
The Union Aerospace Corporation began as a major contractor for an undisclosed military organization, using its advanced research facilities to pioneer teleportation technology. The military maintained a presence at UAC sites, assigning Marine personnel to oversee security and respond to emergencies stemming from the corporation's classified experiments and the company itself eventually hiring ex-Marines as part of their security staff.
The company's most ambitious project involved developing experimental teleportation devices capable of interdimensional travel. Initial tests quickly revealed alarming results: test subjects, or "volunteers," began exhibiting violent psychosis, culminating in explosive deaths. Despite these alarming failures, UAC persisted, eventually uncovering pathways to an uncharted and horrifying dimension: Hell itself.
The discovery proved catastrophic. The gateways inadvertently triggered a series of demonic invasions, with Hell's legions pouring into UAC's facilities on Mars and its moons. Personnel across UAC sites were slaughtered, possessed, or transformed into nightmarish abominations. Even the military contingents stationed at these sites were nearly wiped out, save for a handful of battle-hardened Marines. These enigmatic survivors stood against the infernal onslaught, fighting back against Hell's forces and even confronting the demonic hordes within their own realm for both the sake of humanity and for the sake of avenging one marine's pet rabbit.
Holdings & Affiliates[]
UAC Teleportation Research Division[]
This division spearheaded the development of UAC's teleportation technology, also known as the "Gateway" project. Based primarily on Mars and its moons, Phobos and Deimos, the division ran several high-security laboratories that conducted highly classified experiments under military supervision. While the technology promised revolutionary applications in transport and exploration, its experimentation with interdimensional pathways led to catastrophic results, including exposing the mortal world to the realm of Hell itself and the ensuing demonic invasions. The division's overreach in pursuing breakthroughs at any cost became one of UAC's most infamous failures.
UAC Weapons Development Division[]
Tasked with creating state-of-the-art military technology, this division supplied weaponry for the Marines stationed at UAC facilities. Notable advancements include energy-based weapon systems such as the Plasma Rifle and the BFG 9000, which became iconic tools in the fight against Hell's forces. While primarily designed for defense and military use, these weapons also showcased the UAC's ambition to blur the lines between science and warfare, often leading to experimental designs with unprecedented power.
UAC Security Division[]
This division managed internal and external security for UAC's research facilities. It worked in close collaboration with the military, which apparently stationed Marines on-site and allowed UAC to hire ex-Marines for their private security staff, together forming what was known as the United Aerospace Armed Forces. Despite its efforts, the division was overwhelmed during the Hellish incursions, leaving the surviving Marines to fend off the invaders with little support. Their failure to contain the breaches highlighted UAC's overconfidence in its ability to control its research. Despite this, the few surviving marines proved their worth as impeccable soldiers by fighting off Hell's forces.
StarStruct, Inc.[]
StarStruct, Inc. was an interstellar construction and infrastructure company responsible for building large-scale offworld facilities for UAC. The corporation was apparently responsible for designing and constructing the cutting-edge military bases and research lab outposts used by UAC's on several worlds. Their engineering innovations laid the foundation for operations conducted by organizations like the Union Aerospace Corporation.
Inventions[]
Plasma Gun[]
A flagship product of the UAC Weapons Development Division, the Plasma Gun (or Plasma Rifle) is a high-powered energy weapon that uses plasma technology to deliver devastating, rapid-fire energy blasts. The weapon was developed for military applications, particularly for use in hostile environments like space and offworld colonies. Its high energy output made it one of the most effective tools against Hell's forces.
BFG 9000[]
The BFG 9000 (either short for "Big Fucking Gun" or "Bio Force Gun") is perhaps the most iconic product of UAC's Weapons Development Division. Designed as an ultimate weapon, the BFG 9000 fires massive bursts of green energy capable of annihilating large groups of enemies in a single shot. Its unmatched destructive power made it indispensable in combating the Hellish legions.
Rocket Launcher[]
The Rocket Launcher is a powerful explosive weapon used for military and heavy-duty defense purposes. Its capability to fire high-velocity rockets with devastating impact made it a vital tool for dealing with heavily armored targets or large groups of enemies. However, the weapon's explosive power required careful handling, as misfires or close-quarters usage often posed a significant danger to the operator. In the fight against Hell's forces, the Rocket Launcher became an indispensable tool for Marines to take down larger demons like Barons of Hell and Cyberdemons.
Chaingun[]
The Chaingun is a rapid-fire ballistic weapon designed for sustained suppression and high-volume output. Developed for both infantry and defensive operations, the Chaingun's high rate of fire and reliability in harsh environments made it a versatile addition to UAC's arsenal. Though it consumed ammunition rapidly, its ability to rip and tear through waves of smaller demons like Imps and Lost Souls made it ideal for combating demons.
Gateway Teleportation System[]
The Gateway Teleportation System technology developed by UAC became a cornerstone of its scientific pursuits. Touted as a revolutionary advancement in interplanetary transport and exploration, the Gateway Teleportation System promised instantaneous travel over vast distances. However, its instability led to the discovery of a portal into Hell, dooming many of UAC's facilities and personnel to demonic invasion and destruction.
Trivia[]
- During development of the first game, the main UAC base would have been on the tidally locked world of Tei Tenga rather than on Mars, serving as the main setting of the game, and would have had two main bases: the main research base would have been on the Lightside of the planet while a secondary base would have been on the Darkside.
- The Chaingun appears to be based on the Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-23 rotary cannon.
- Since the company's introduction, a few real life companies have been established that have called themselves Union Aerospace as well.
- The company may have partly been inspired by Weyland-Yutani.