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17th Attack Squadron
17th Air Commando Squadron
"Jaguars"

The mission of the 17th Attack Squadron is to provide tacical air operations designed to destroy enemy forces and installations. Its specific functions include: Providing close air support for ground and naval forces; performing tactical air reconnaissance; providing rocket and bomb strikes on enemy forces and installations; providing deployment of combat ready forces to areas of operations as required by higher headquarters; and perform other functions as directed by higher headquarters.

The 17th Attack squadron was first activated and organized on 1 October 1974. It was to be equipped with the SIAI Marchetti SF-260W. While waiting for delivery of these aircraft the unit was equipped with T-34A Mentor trainer aircraft. On 18 October 1974, the 15th Strike Wing received its first batch of the T-28Ds fresh from the Vietnam War. These aircraft would be utilized by the 17th Attack Squadron as well. The first Italian made, locally assembled SF-260s arrived in February 1975.

In March 1975, rocket launchers and the new M60 machine guns arrived for the SF-260s. These aircraft were then deployed to augment elements of the 15th Strike Wing already in action in the country's south. On 17 March 1975, a first batch of personnel to maintain an Advance Command Post at Francisco Bangoy Airport, Davao City were deployed. They had control of 3 SF-260W aircraft for counter-insurgency operations. The first air strike conducted by the SF-260Ws came on 15 April 1975.

The Philippines, especially the economy, suffered from the political tension following the Aquino Assassination. The Philippine Peso was devalued, requiring huge government budget cuts. Maintenance costs increased, asset dwindled and pilots left the service to take higher paying jobs offered in commercial aviation.

The drain on personnel and equipment led to the 17th Attack Squadron being inactivated on 1 August 1985. All personnel and equipment were transferred to the 16th Attack Squadron. The remaining SF-260s were transferred to the PAF Flying School to augment their existing trainer fleet.

Pursuant to General Orders Number 142, Headquarters, Philippine Air Force, dated June 13 1990, the 17th Attack Squadron was reactivated. The unit was redesignated the 17th Air Commando Squadron. By 1991 only a few T-28Ds were at fully mission capable status. Through the Foreign Military Sales program, the US Government agreed to sell 24 OV-10A Broncos to the PAF. With the OV-10s assigned to 16th Attack Squadron, the remaining T-28Ds were transferred to the 17th Attack Squadron. Eventually the T-28D was retired from the PAF and the 17th Attack Squadron also recieved OV-10As.

The Asian Financial Crisis led to new cost cutting measures in the Philippine Government in 1997. The PAF again responded by inactivating the 17th Air Commando Squadron on 1 April 1997. The Squadron's assets were again taken over by the 16th Attack Squadron.

The unit was again reactivated on 16 July 2001 as the 17th Attack Squadron. The unit was equipped with SF-260TP Trainer aircraft from the Air Education and Training Command. These aircraft had been converted into light attack aircraft. The reactivation proved to be timely as just a few months after the squadron's reactivation, the unit unleashed an overwhelming display of air power against the Misuari Renegade Group in Zamboanga City on 27 November 2001.