Lockheed Martin and Raytheon received contracts to develop their design concepts and assess technologies to be used on new Long Range Stand Off (LRSO) nuclear missile. It will equip American strategic bomber fleet replacing the Boeing-built AGM-86B air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) as the next-generation strategic-deterrent missile of the air component of the U.S. nuclear triad. The two awards, valued at $900 million each, include technology maturation and risk-reduction contract. As soon as this phase will completed the US Air Force will choose a single contractor to proceed to the engineering and manufacturing process. Plans call for fielding the LRSO in the late 2020s. The Air Force plans to fit the LRSO on the B-52H STRATOFORTRESS, the B-2 SPIRIT and the future B-21 RAIDER bombers. The LRSO will be capable of penetrating advanced integrated air defense systems from a significant standoff range, supporting the Air Force’s global attack and strategic deterrence missions.