1. counterforce - Noun
2. counterforce - Adjective
An opposing force.
Source: Webster's dictionaryEven if military advantages were not to be had by deliberately limiting attack to counterforce targets, I suspect that most governments would still prefer to observe such limits. Almost nobody wants to go down in history as the first man to kill 100,000 people. Herman Kahn
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. Source: Internet
Additionally, such a system would increase the odds of success for a counterforce attack by assuring that if some targets escaped the initial attack, the incoming missiles could be intercepted. Source: Internet
Additionally, increased possibility of success of counterforce attacks means that the opponent has the incentive to act preemptively, which increases the risk of a large scale response to misinterpreted signals. Source: Internet
As a condition to obtain the legal status of a trade union, employee associations need to prove that their leverage is strong enough to serve as a counterforce in negotiations with employers. Source: Internet
For example, the United States’ nuclear force exceeds the requirements of minimal deterrence, and is structured to strike numerous targets in multiple countries and to have the ability to conduct successful counterforce strikes with high confidence. Source: Internet