December17, 2006:
The U.S. Marine Corps is buying 49 Regimental Unit Operations Center
(UOC) and 116 Battalion UOC capability sets. The UOC is a collection of
computer and communications equipment, generators and other gear that is
organized and packaged to be quickly set up in a combat zone, and provide
commanders with the information they need to run their units in battle. The
equipment includes large, flat screen, displays for showing maps and data. The
days of paper maps, clear plastic overlays and grease pencils are over. No more
typewriters, and a lot less paper. Each UOC costs nearly two million dollars.
All of them will be delivered over the next two years.