857 Squadron

Formed at Squantum (Dennison Field, Mass.) in the US on 1 Apr 1944 as a Torpedo / Reconnaisance unit with Avenger IIs. It returned to the UK in Jun 1944 and re-trained for anti-submarine operations, departing for the Far East and the Pacific in Sep 1944. After about a year of operations, its aircraft were left at Nowra (Australia) and it returned to the UK, to disband on 20 Nov 1945.

The unit reformed with the Sea King ASaC.7 on 13 Dec 2006 at RNAS Culdrose from 849 Squadron, B Flight.

857 NAS was deployed to Afghanistan in May 2009 and returned in Dec 2010. Towards the end of May 2011, the squadron embarked 2x of its Sea King ASaC.7 airframes on HMS Ocean for a 4 month deployment off Libya, returning to RNAS Culdrose on 22 Sep 2011. In Mar 2012, it relieved 854 NAS in Afghanistan. Based at Camp Bastion until May 2014, it was then reassigned to RFA Fort Austin operating in the Gulf, providing Force Protection to the Coalition Task Force and was relieved by Normandy Flt of 849 NAS in Dec 2014.

Due to disband in early 2015 and become Palembang Flight of 849 Squadron.