page_title: 17th Weapons Squadron
section_title: 17th Tactical Fighter Squadron
hierarchical_section_title: 17th Weapons Squadron / History / 17th Tactical Fighter Squadron
caption_attribution_description: English: 17th Fighter Squadron - General Dynamics F-16C Block 42J Fighting Falcon 90-754
context_page_description: The 17th Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the USAF Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
  The squadron traces its lineage to the United States Army Air Service's 17th and 147th Aero Squadrons, both of which were active during World War I. The 147th was redesignated the 17th Pursuit Squadron in the post-war Air Service and later consolidated with the 17th Aero Squadron in 1936 to preserve the history of both pursuit units. The 17th Aero Squadron was activated in August 1917 and earned 13 campaign streamers in France flying the Sopwith Camel. The 147th Aero Squadron was organized in November 1917 and flew the Nieuport 28 and SPAD S.XIII fighters, earning eight streamers.
  During World War II, the 17th Pursuit Squadron participated in the defense of the Philippines flying the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk and garnering the first American Ace of World War II. Wiped out during the Battle of the Philippines, some of its squadron members endured the Bataan Death March.
context_section_description: Reactivated as the 17th Tactical Fighter Squadron in early 1982 at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, assigned to the newly redesignated 363d Tactical Fighter Wing as the wing was converting from a McDonnell RF-4C Phantom II tactical reconnaissance mission to General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons.
  The initial aircraft received were Block 10 F-16A models, but shortly afterwards the first block 15 aircraft started to arrive. The responsibility of the 17th was close air support, air interdiction, suppression of enemy air defenses and armed reconnaissance to support worldwide contingencies. For this mission the squadron was eventually equipped with Block 50 aircraft and the AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missile. This was one of a few units within the USAF that flew with this missile.
  In 1985 the squadron was upgraded to the Block 25 F-16C from the General Dynamics factory in Fort Worth. These aircraft were more capable in comparison with the former block 15 models. Also new weapon systems could now be introduced, like the CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition.
  After the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, the 24 aircraft of the 17th were deployed to Al Dhafra Air Base, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on 9 August 1990 and started flying air defense missions over the Saudi kingdom as part of Operation Desert Shield. When Operation Desert Storm started in January 1991 the squadron was at the forefront of air operations.
  Upon their return to the United States, in March 1991, the squadron started receiving some brand-new block 42 F-16s. Their primary mission of air interdiction remained the same. During 1993 the first rumors came that the entire wing was to be disbanded. The news was quickly acknowledged. On 31 December 1993 the squadron was inactivated in favor of squadrons from the senior 20th Fighter Wing, which was moving from the closed RAF Upper Heyford, England to Shaw as part of the USAFE drawdown at the end of the Cold War.  The squadron transferred its aircraft and personnel to the 20th, and the 363d Wing was inactivated.
caption: 17th Fighter Squadron F-16C[note 8]
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