The squadron was formed on January 5, 1996 at the
SLAF Katunayake with six IAI Kfir
multi-role fighter jets acquired from
Israel, with
US State Department approval. These included five C2 types and a TC.2 type trainer. At its formation the squadron had six pilots, four engineers and 70 technicians along with the six aircraft. In 2000, the squadron received eight more Kfirs that included C7 types and another trainer. On November 2, 2007 the Sri Lankan Air Force claimed that aircraft from the squadron killed the
LTTE’s Political Wing Leader
S.P. Thamilselvan and a group of LTTE cadres in an air raid. During the last phase of the war it maintained units at
SLAF China Bay. In March 2009, the squadron was presented with the
President’s Colours. By 2017 only one Kfir was serviceable out of 7 while
Mig 23 and
Mig 27 of the
No. 12 Squadron grounded in the same year. In 2021 government approved a US$49 million deal with
Israel Aerospace Industries to update the remaining five Kfirs to Block 60 standard. ==Aircraft operated==