Nationwide Defense against Nuclear Weapons: Properties of Prim-Read Deployments

Abstract : The problem of allocation of defensive resources in nationwide defense against strategic nuclear attack is examined. Distinctive assumptions are that defenses are local, that attacking weapons directed at each target arrive sequentially (requiring that interceptors be allocated without knowledge of how many additional attacking weapons will follow), and that neither side can re-allocate its resources during an attack. Prim-Read deployments are defined and analyzed in detail. Effects of the 'Target Defense Principle' that initially defended targets must remain more attractive than undefended targets (up to the point where destruction is certain) are investigated. Optimality and non- optimality properties of Prim-Read deployments are established for the criteria of target value destroyed and target value destroyed per attacking weapon committed. Variations on the basic model, numerical examples, comparison of Prim-Read and proportional deployments, and discussion of physical implications of the mathematical results are included.