The Ion Cannon Control Center is a bunker-like structure developed by the GDI just before the Third Tiberium War.
Tiberium Dawn[]
Approved by the UN in 1996, the ion cannon officially entered service by the end of the First Tiberium War. The advent of the ion cannon corresponded with a promise by GDI never to use nuclear weapons. An advanced communications center at field bases provided operational commanders with a secure control uplink to the ion cannon.
The most notable use of the ion cannon during the First Tiberium War was when GDI assaulted the Sarajevo Temple of Nod, where Kane was barricaded inside. GDI obliterated the Temple, and Kane, in one strike.
Tiberium Sun[]
During the Second Tiberium War, the uplink for Ion Cannon Control was mounted on the Upgrade Center. The weapon itself was upgraded to increase its area of effect, making it capable of taking out multiple enemies at once if they are close to each other.
Tiberium Essence[]
By the Third Tiberium War, the older ion cannon uplink platforms installed into upgrade centers were made obsolete by the evolution of technology and communication jammers, which made the relatively unsophisticated platforms useless. Therefore, a new type of dedicated ion cannon control platform was developed.
Being the most feared weapon in GDI's arsenal, the ion cannon control bunker is usually located in heavily defended GDI bases, such as in the Sydney Blue Zone, often in regions where there are multiple hotspots. It is granted to commanders who had proven themselves worthy on the battlefield or when the situation is critical.
Once the building is established, the commander need only wait for the ion cannon to arrive in geosynchronous orbit. While this time may vary, GDI's now well-established network of orbital weapons ensures that a wait of more than seven minutes is rare. When the ion cannon is ready, the Control Center will extend a conspicuous antenna and radar array for full control.
The Control Center is a high priority target for all enemy commanders in the area, so it must be protected at all costs. If a local Nod commander manages to launch their Nuclear Missile at the Ion Cannon Control Center, the structure will be destroyed.
In version 1.5, the Ion Cannon Control Center received a graphical overhaul, while the bunker itself remains close to the original model, a large signal-dish has been added.
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