Cost Effectiveness of Biological Weapons

Abstract Biological weapons may be the most cost effective weapons ever available. For a relatively small investment, knowledgeable perpetrators (or states) may develop bioterror or military‐type weapons. Yet, there are significant uncertainties concerning biological weapons. Will they work? Will they do more or less than expected? Will the environmental factors that are critical for effective employment be available to the attacker at the critical time? What opprobrium will attach to their use? Questions such as these may move ordinary actors who are pursuing weapons to opt for more reliable/predictable/less societally‐ostracized weapons, even though those could be more expensive. Nevertheless, biological weapons' invisible/invasive delayed onset characteristics may make them weapons of choice for the types of terrorists who desire such effects. They may find bioweapons' cost within their reach.