The Air Force Reserve reactivated the 489th Bomb Group at Dyess AFB, Texas, on Oct. 17. The group, which includes the 345th Bomb Squadron, the 489th Maintenance Squadron, and the 489th Aerospace Medical Flight, operates under the 307th Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, La. It will provide B-1 training as well as combat support alongside its classic associate, the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess, states a release. Col. Denis Heinz, commander of the 489th BG, said he is happy to be part of the unit’s legacy. “As I read books published by former group members, I was in awe of their ability to fly, fight, and win under such austere conditions,” Heinz said. “I am proud now to be part of a heritage that dates back to the early days of World War II, when the original 489th fought a much different war.”
The F-35 Joint Program Office has officially announced plans to issue multiple sole-source contracts to Pratt & Whitney to upgrade the fighter’s F135 engine—a widely expected move after Pentagon officials indicated they would do so earlier this year instead of developing an entirely new engine.