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.
News about 857 Squadron |
Royal Navy Sea Kings 5 years in Afghan skies
04-Jun-14 - UK Forces have been deployed in Afghanistan since 2002 under Operation Herrick pushing back the Taliban and preventing them from using the country as a base for terrorism
ASaC.7 return from Libya
27-Sep-11 - Navy fliers who paved the way for Apache helicopter strikes against Colonel Gaddafi’s forces are safely home.
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Models 857 NAS List of helicopters |
| C/N | Version | Built | In this Org | In other Org | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| wa 644 | has.1 | 1969 | XV656 : 854Sq /85 by Jul 2009;
857Sq /85 by Oct 2009 : 857Sq/185 by May 2014, still Dec 2014 | ||||
| wa 652 | has.1 | 1970 | XV664 : 854Sq /90 by Jul 2009;
857Sq /90 by Oct 2009 | ||||
| wa 659 | has.1 | 1970 | XV671 : as as 857 NAS /183 pictured in the flying display at Yeovilton Air Day 2+ | ||||
| wa 660 | has.1 | 1970 | XV672 : at HMNB Portsmouth in flying display for Meet Your Navy 2008, as 857 NAS /+ : pictured (pic1) at RNAS Culdrose Air Day as 857 NAS / 187 | ||||
| wa 945 | has.5 | 1985 | ZD636 : ASaC.7 857Sq by Aug 2009; 854Sq /82 by Sep 2009 : 2011 857Sqn /CU-182 : embarked as 857 NAS/182-CU on HMS Ocean during at least the Aug 2011 visit+ | ||||
| wa 958 | has.5 | 1986 | ZE420 : 2009 type:ASaC.7 857Sqn./189 |  - | |||
| wa 961 | has.5 | 1986 | ZE422 : ASaC.7;
854Sq /92 by Jul 2009;
857Sq /92 by Oct 2009 | ||||
857 Squadron Operations |
| Dates | Operation | |
|---|---|---|
| 2012-mar | 2014-may |  Operation Herrick |
| 2011-may | 2011-sep-22 |  Operation Unified Protector |
| 2009-may | 2010-dec | Operation Herrick |
