7th Tactical Fighter "Bulldogs" Squadron

The 7th Tactical Fighter Bulldogs Squadron is part of the 5th Fighter Wing located at Basa Air Base Floridablanca, Pampanga, Philippines.

The Squadron is the main fighter squadron for the Philippine Air Force, it's origins dating to 1947. The squadron was saw on combat during World War II, and became part of the Air Force Command under the Philippine Air Force.

Mission
The 7th FS operates the FA-50PH aircraft conducting strategic attack, interdiction, offensive counterair (air-to-surface), suppression of enemy air defenses, as well as offensive and defensive counterair (air-to-air) missions.

History
By 1994, with the acquisition of the SIAI-Marchetti S.211 (S-211) jet, the 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron was manned and reorganized. The aircraft mainstay from then on was the warrior version of the S-211, also known as the AS-211, fitted with hard points and weapons systems.

Mount Pinatubo Eruption
Basa Air Base suffered heavy infrastructural damage when Mount Pinatubo, less than 15 miles away, erupted in 1991. This left most buildings buried in thick layers of ash. Many of the Philippine Air Force's grounded F-8 Crusader jet fighters were damaged and phased out, and residents were evacuated to other Philippine military facilities, such as Camp Olivas in San Fernando, Pampanga and Villamor Air Base in Pasay City. Eventually the whole fleet was sold for scrap. After that only 4-5 F-5 Freedom Fighters of the 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron can be operated.

Battle of Marawi
On May 23, 2017. Firefights between the Philippine Government and ISIS-Linked Militants began approximately 2:00PM, President Rodrigo Duterte, was on a state visit on Moscow, Russia with Russian President, Vladimir Putin. The President declared Martial Law in the whole Mindanao as Firefights became worse. Philippine Air Force are now fighting against ISIS Militants in Marawi City. Several FA-50PH fighter jet of the 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron were sent to Marawi City for aerial bombing together with the 15th Strike Wing of the Philippine Air Force with their AW109E attack helicopters, OV-10 Broncos, MG-520 Defender attack helicopters, SF-260TP light attack aircraft.

On July 12 2017, A FA-50PH Fighting Eagle fighter jet of the 7th Tactical Fighter "Bulldogs" Squadron missed a target by 250 meters (820 ft) resulting to a friendly fire which killed two soldiers and injured 11 others. All FA-50s were grounded pending an investigation while other air assets of the Philippine Air Force remained operating in Marawi

Aircraft

 * North American P-51 Mustang (1947 - 1957)


 * North American F-86 Sabre (1957-1979)


 * Vought F-8 Crusader (1977-1988)


 * Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter (1964-2005)


 * KAI FA-50 Fighting Eagle (2015-present)