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. The intent of a counterforce strategy (i.e., attacking counterforce targets with nuclear weapons) is to
disarm an adversary by destroying its nuclear weapons before they can be launched, thereby minimizing the impact of a retaliatory
second strike. However, counterforce attacks are also possible in a second strike, especially with weapons like
UGM-133 Trident II. A counterforce target is distinguished from a
countervalue target, which includes an adversary's population, economic, or political resources. In other words, a counterforce strike is against an adversary's military while a countervalue strike is against an adversary's cities. A closely related tactic is the
decapitation strike, which by destroying an enemy's nuclear
command and control facilities similarly intends to eliminate or reduce their ability to launch a second strike.