James said the companies are: Pratt & Whitney, BAE Systems, GKN Aerospace, Rockwell Collins, Spirit Aerosystems and Orbital ATK.
"Pratt & Whitney will provide new engines, the other six will work on air frames [and other systems]," James stated on Monday.
Defence contractor Northrop Grumman won the award to be the prime contractor on developing the new long-range strategic bomber, which is expected to cost more than $500 million per aircraft, beating out a consortium of Lockheed Martin and Boeing.
The initial contract value will be worth more than $23 billion, US Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Walsh told the press conference.
Eventually, the US Air Force may buy up to 100 of new stealth aircraft costing more than $50 billion, according to published reports.
