Congressional Research Service says that Congress has given only “a mixed reception” to the concept of deploying some long range ballistic missiles in a conventional mode. Even so, both the Air Force and the Navy, urged on by the Administration, have studied concepts and technologies for doing so. The Air Force budget request for 2006 contains funding for its efforts. The Pentagon sees conventional ballistic missiles as key to its new prompt global strike mission.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
