WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after the Air Force announcement of the major contract partners for the B-21 Long Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) program.  The new bomber will be powered by a pair of engines produced by Pratt & Whitney in Middletown, Connecticut.

"I am extremely proud that Pratt & Whitney was selected to develop the engine for the new Long-Range Strike Bomber. Today’s announcement reaffirms Connecticut’s unmatched contribution to America’s Armed Forces. There is a bright future in store for our aerospace industry and the highly skilled workforce that supports it. Through companies like Pratt & Whitney—and the hundreds of small suppliers they support—Connecticut workers play a key role in the United States’ nuclear strategic deterrence for the next century.”

The LRS-B is a long-range stealth bomber that will eventually replace the B-52 and B-1 bombers. The Air Force intends to purchase 100 aircraft for approximately $550 million each over the next two decades.