Strategic Command Uplink

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### Notes

Can be intercepted by normal meansCan be upgraded with security systems for self defense

## Introduction

The **Strategic Command Uplink** is General Malcolm "Ace" Granger's Superweapon structure, it is a communications center that can call for a strategic bombardment.

## Overview

Since Granger can't afford to have a Particle Cannon, he decided to use his own authority and influence to use airstrikes as a superweapon. Hence, the SCU is born. The Strategic Communications Uplink is a strategic bombardment communications tower that has an unusual futuristic design vaguely assembled from various geometric 3D shapes. It has two parts: the main communication room and uplink antenna. The communication room receives signals from any of the USA Air Force's bases and relays strike messages to these bases to call three B2 Stealth Bombers.

Depending on the location of the tower, the SCU can call B-2 Spirit stealth bombers from the following USA Air Force bases:

* Air Combat Command bases.
* Air Force Materiel Command bases.
* Air Force Global Strike Command bases.
* Air Force Special Operations Command bases.
* Air Mobility Command bases.
* Any other USA Air bases with such bombers.

This means that the SCU can quickly call these stealth bombers in a short time.

One of its memorable features is its semi-sphere shaped "bulb" on the right corner of the tower which is actually the uplink antenna holder. The "bulb" actually houses a retractable tall antenna taller than the tower itself. When the strategic bombing is ready (often meaning the air base's B2 bombers are ready to go/on route), the "bulb" will open and the antenna slowly rises up rather like a hibiscus blooming. As the target is set, three B2 Bombers will rush out quickly from the edge of the map and the "bulb" will close off. the bombers will then drop several HE bombs to the target, dealing moderately high damage.

The Strategic Communications Uplink is basically a passive-aggressive superweapon as it does not launch or fire anything from it but uses three B2 Bombers to do the destruction. It has a quite large range that sometimes could exceed a little bit from its intended target range. The B3 Bombers are very fast, equipped with stealth and have tougher aircraft armor like Wyvern to increase the success rate of a bombing mission. However, since it is a unit-based superweapon, the tower needs to make sure that there are no heavy AA and stealth detection deployment since the bombers can still be shot down by concentrated firepower. Also, the bombs might miss a small target.

## Assessment

Pros:

* Decently powerful.
* Slightly wider area of effect than its intended range.
* Quite compact to fit in small places.
* B-3 Bombers are fast, stealthed and heavily armored.
* Multiple (5 or more) of these can reduce a base to rubble.

Cons:

* Expensive (5000$).
* Consumes 5 points of power.
* Long reload time of six minutes.
* Can be captured or infiltrated.
* Not quite as powerful as other superweapons.
* B-2 Bombers can still be detected by Scout Units and shot down by heavy AA fire.

## Trivia

* Originally, the SCU could upgrade B2 Bombers to carry Cluster Bombs for more damage and area of effect, but it was removed since Contra 009 and used by another GP bomber.
* Before the MOAB upgrade was removed, it could affect the B-2 Spirit bombers it summons to carry fuel air explosives instead of conventional HE bombs, making this superweapon far more devastating.
* The old model of the superweapon was less detailed so the developers changed it into a more detailed version.
* Prior to Patch 2 for Contra 009 FINAL, the Strategic Bombing ability had an extremely lengthy reload time of eight minutes. This, coupled with its wide spread, low damage, vehicles that can be intercepted and high cost for it's mediocre performance makes it arguably the worst super weapon in the mod and the second-weakest super weapon overall (Tomahawk Storm is technically even weaker in terms of destructive capabilities, but it is much cheaper, has much shorter reload time, available at rank 1 and cannot be intercepted by normal means).
* When facing Granger in the General's Challenge, when the player destroys his rival's SCU Granger will order all his forces to attack the player's base (this is also the case when the player destroys his Command Center).