ABMs should be much cheaper than ICBMs, so if you get another ICBM, I can just buy more to match. This is because the command and control associated with an ABM

ABMs should be much cheaper than ICBMs, so if you get another ICBM, I can just buy more to match. This is because the command and control associated with an ABM is much simpler. I don't need to worry so much about operating after nuclear weapons have already gone off. I don't have to worry about making sure that the fire order comes from the president. See target, be sure it is a target, shoot the target. This doesn't get into virtual attrition. You may have previously targeted 1-2 nukes at different places. But now you don't know which ones will actually get intercepted. So you have to send enough warheads to make sure one gets through, or give up on the target.