It flies MQ-9 Reaper unmanned combat aerial vehicles or "drones"; the 3rd SOS is the first Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) squadron within the AFSOC.

[1][4] At Langley Field, Virginia, the squadron engaged in aerial observation work attached to the Coast Artillery School using Bell P-39 Airacobras until April 1942.

Some of these flights were mounted from Thule in Greenland and probed deep into the heart of the Soviet Union, taking a photographic and radar recording of the route attacking SAC bombers would follow to reach their targets.

Missions flown on a reduced scale after February 1958 when events showed the vulnerability of the RB-47 to Soviet air defenses and the development of the U-2 aircraft.

It began transferring its gunships to the Republic of Vietnam Air Force in June 1969 and flew its last mission on 7 August 1969.

It provided realistic conventional, tactical, and electronic warfare training in a simulated combat environment during Cope Thunder exercises.

These exercises provided combat training for fighter aircrews of the U.S. Marine, U.S. Navy, and allied air forces in the western Pacific area.

Despite the lack of personnel the 3rd SOS flew 23% of the total Combined Force Air Component Command MQ-1 Predator hours for the last two months of 2005.