Yup, it's not like a video game where you get instant notification/identification. And it's why we have been so worried about Russian nukes--they have used liq

Yup, it's not like a video game where you get instant notification/identification. And it's why we have been so worried about Russian nukes--they have used liquid fueled birds, they can't be held ready to launch. Such birds are pretty much only useful for a first strike as they won't be able to launch them once incoming missiles are detected unless they're being held at launch ready (and they can't do that for too long.)