Counterforce

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In nuclear strategy, a counterforce target is one that has a military value, such as a launch silo for intercontinental ballistic missiles, an airbase at which nuclear-armed bombers are stationed, a homeport for ballistic missile submarines, or a command and control installation.^[1]

The intent of a counterforce strategy (attacking counterforce targets with nuclear weapons) is to conduct a preemptive nuclear strike which has as its aim to disarm an adversary by destroying its nuclear weapons before they can be launched.^[2] That would minimize the impact of a retaliatory second strike.^{[citation needed]} However, counterforce attacks are possible in a second strike as well, especially with weapons like UGM-133 Trident II.^{[clarification needed][3]} A counterforce target is distinguished from a countervalue target, which includes an adversary's population, knowledge, economic, or political resources.^[1] In short, a counterforce strike is directed against an adversary's military capabilities, while a countervalue strike is directed against an adversary's civilian-centered institutions.

A closely related tactic is the decapitation strike, which destroys an enemy's nuclear command and control facilities and similarly has a goal to eliminate or reduce the enemy's ability to launch a second strike. Counterforce targets are almost always near to civilian population centers, which would not be spared in the event of a counterforce strike.^{[citation needed]}