Perhaps you have not heard of the Common Aero Vehicle project. They're looking at applying a conventionally armed maneuvering warhead on top of ballistic missiles for rapid strike at hardened targets. The concept calls for the ICBMs to be launched from the Eastern or Western Test Range to avoid confusion with nuclear armed missiles and to avoid dropping rocket stages across the countryside. The X-41 is intended to test the concept. I don't know the current funding status (if any).
While sending one or more B-2s would be less expensive, a CAV could reach a target upwards of 6000 miles away in less than 30 minutes (as opposed to 10-12 hours or more for a B-2, not counting mission prep time). The idea is to go after extremely time sensitive targets very quickly.
Space/Science » in reply to Nonsense
CAV