The 301 Squadron has the mission of executing operations of air defense and conventional attack in all-weather conditions.

During the Portuguese Colonial War these squadrons executed more than 13,000 operational missions, with five aircraft having been shot down by anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) and surface-to-air missiles (SAM).

On June 27, 1993, with the last flight of the Fiat G-91 in service with the Portuguese Air Force, and the subsequent retirement of this aircraft, as well the recent restructuring of the PoAF, the 301 Squadron was transferred to Air Base 11, in Beja, having been equipped with the ground-attack aircraft Alpha Jet A.

This aircraft's first flight was conducted on October 6, 1993, by of Major Lopes da Silva.

During the joint exercise COMAO (Composite Air Operations), on September 5, 2005, the 301 Squadron reached the 20,000 flight hours with its Alpha Jet fleet.