860 sqn was formed in 1943 as a British Fleet Air Arm unit. After WW2 it was reformed as a Dutch Firefly squadron. After the Firefly, 860 was equipped with Sea Furies and Sea Hawks before becomming a helicopter squadron flying the Westland Wasp. This helicopter was replaced by the Westland Lynx in 1980.
860 Squadron transformed as a helicopter unit on 4 Oct 1966, when it re-equipped with the AH-12A Wasp. It was the parent unit for deployments to the Van Speijk Class Frigates. During the latter half of 1974, there were a number of ships flight assignments to RNAS Portland. The Wasps were retired in Dec 1980, after the introduction of the first SH-14B Lynx during Oct 1978.
Locations
| 1966- | EHKD DHR | Den Helder Airport / De Kooy |
Operations
| 21 Jun 19861986 | 22 Jun 19861986 | Fleet days 1986 |
| 04 Oct 19941994 | 06 Oct 19941994 | SAR meet 1994 |
| 20 Jun 20052005 | 25 Jun 20052005 |  SAR meet 2005 |
| 01 Jul 20112011 | 03 Jul 20112011 | naval days 2011 (marinedagen) |
| 23 Jun 20122012 | Fly out MFG-5 Kiel |
|
| Jan 20132013 | Apr 20132013 | Operation Atalanta |
| Feb 20132013 | May 20132013 |  Combined Task Force 150 |
| 24 Mar 20142014 | 25 Mar 20142014 | NSS 2014 |
| 22 Sep 20142014 | 25 Sep 20142014 | SAR meet 2014 |
| Apr 20162016 |  Exercise Joint Warrior 16-1 |
|
| 09 Sep 20172017 | Oct 20172017 |  Hurricanes Irma, Jose and Maria Relief Operations |
| 08 Feb 20222022 | 18 Feb 20222022 | Guardian Defender 22 |
| 31 Oct 20222022 | -- | Falcon Autumn 2022 |
Ships
| Oct 20192019 | 25 Apr 20202020 | Zr. Ms. Groningen | embarked NH90 N-325 for 6 month Caribbean deployment. Disembarked to de Kooy on 23 Apr 2020 and ship entered Den Helder on 25 Apr. |