Editing Nuclear utilization target selection (section)

==Counterforce strikes==
A counterforce strike consists of an attack on enemy nuclear weapons meant to destroy them before they can be used. A viable [[Pre-emptive nuclear strike|first strike]] capability would require the ability to launch a 100-percent-effective (or nearly so) counterforce attack. Such an attack is made more difficult by systems such as early warning radars which allow the possibility for rapid recognition and response to a nuclear attack and by systems such as [[submarine-launched ballistic missile]]s or road-mobile nuclear missiles (such as the Soviet [[RSD-10 Pioneer|SS-20]]) which make nuclear weapons harder to locate and target.

Since a limited nuclear war is a viable option for a NUTS theorist, the power to unleash such attacks holds a great deal of appeal. However, establishing such a capability is very expensive. A [[counterforce]] weapon requires a much more accurate warhead than a [[countervalue]] weapon, as it must be guaranteed to detonate very close to its target, which drastically increases relative costs.