The B-21 Northrup Bomber Winner

The DoD has scheduled at least 100 active combat bombers and it could go as high as 164 production deliveries depending on costs and program progress. Northrup won the bidding war partially because it has experience in making a flying wing body bomber like its B-2 bomber.

B-2 Photo from National Interest

Now comes the B-21 Raider from Northrup as it is rapidly approaching the Critical Design Review phase (CDR) depicted below.

LA Times Rendering 

The CDR will report if the B-21 has reached a paper accomplishment of achieving design elements, meeting the Northrup's RFP proposal response before building the first flying prototype. It is an important milestone for the program. The technical paper shows how Northrup will accomplish the B-21 Raider completeness within costs for numbers requested. It may be a wide range CDR including testing and product upgrading during its production cycle.

National Interest Quote:

"We haven’t done CDR yet, we are on our way to critical design review,” Randy Walden, director and program executive officer for the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office—which is responsible for B-21 program— said during an speaking engagement held at the Air Force Association’ Mitchell Institute on June 25."

It will be a stealth bomber. On another note, the B-52 will incorporate heavy lifting weapons receptacles of 20,000 lbs for its wings. Suggesting a mission change within the shadows of the B-21 future capabilities.