It currently operates in both air defence and ground attack role with F-7 Skybolts from SLAF Katunayake.

Based at RCyAF China Bay just after its transfer from the RAF in 1956, its primary role was to train pilots for jet fighters that were planned.

The Squadron was reactivated and the Jet Provosts were taken out of storage and in to operational use when the 1971 Insurrection began in 1971.

[2][3] These were used for ground attack sorties and in 1994 the squadron moved to SLAF China Bay to be closer to the battlefront.

October 2008 the SLAF claimed it first air-to-air kill, when it reported that one of the squadron's F-7G interceptors shot down a Zlín Z 43 of the LTTE air wing when it attempted to attack a military base in Vavuniya.