Vault-Tec Corporation

History

In the Fallout universe, Vault-Tec Corporation was a defense corporation contracted by the United States government to construct elaborate underground bunkers designed to withstand nuclear attacks and pandemics. These bunkers, known simply as vaults, were constructed throughout the United States. 122 vaults were built, each one costing hundreds of billions of dollars.

The effort to construct the shelters was part of an ongoing government initiative called Project Safehouse, which had notoriously been overwrought with corruption and financial embezzlement. Despite these issues and the financial woes of the United States, the vaults were completed thanks to advances in construction and successful technological innovations from Vault-Tec Corporation. The project was enough of a success that by the time the nuclear bombs fell in 2077, Vault-Tec had begun pushing to bring vaults to Canada, which had recently been annexed by the United States.

Vaults

The shelters designed by Vault-Tec were complex, multi-layered facilities that incorporated many facets of a person's life on the outside. Vault dwellers, as the residents were called, had their own spaces, often with enough rooms to support an entire family. The vaults featured communal areas, kitchens, gyms, and other commodities. Residents also had access to personal terminals.

Each vault had an Overseer, an individual selected by Vault-Tec to ensure that the primary directive of the vault was carried out properly. Rigorous schooling and testing was required to be selected for an Overseer. In addition to this leadership, the vaults were fully staffed with security, medical professionals, and maintenance teams.

Unbeknownst to the general public, the vaults were never intended to be used strictly for human preservation. Project Safehouse was manipulated behind the scenes by a secret organization of societal elites called the Enclave, which would go on to exist after the war as the surviving continuity of government. The Enclave wished to carry out human experimentation in 105 of the 122 vaults, with the remaining 17 used as control groups. These experiments were designed to test human behavior when facing specific societal, biological, or psychological stresses. The Enclave would monitor the data from the experiments on an off-shore oil rig, which was used as a safe haven.

Company Profile

Vault-Tec Corporation had a tremendously active marketing department. The company produced an enormous line of merchandise, including the well-known Vault Boy bobbleheads, to promote the vaults and other products. Vault-Tec Corporation was also involved in developing other technologies, including medical equipment and kitchen appliances.

Despite the company's playful appearance, corporate life at Vault-Tec was strict and oppressive.