I get the need for the nuclear triad, especially with some of the states out there also with or developing nukes and missiles, but we spend sooo much money on this. What fraction of our defense spending is the nuclear program? It's gotta be decent double digits?
Our incredibly expensive Colombia submarine program is supposedly entirely for nuclear boomers, and those cost more than this plane. We made new Peacekeeper icbms then disarmed them shortly thereafter & are making what sounds like an all new Sentinel missile. To be fair it seems like the Peacekeeper indeed might have been too scary, might have escalated over much, but what an absurd bonfire of money going into these efforts.
And here a single bidder auction.