It was active twice more during the Second World War, between December 1940 and July 1943 as a Long Range Catapult Squadron and then between June 1945 and September 1946 as an Instrument Flying Training and Checking Unit.

Operating Supermarine Walrus, an amphibious maritime patrol aircraft, and Fairey Seal, a carrier-borne spotter-reconnaissance biplane, from its base at the Royal Air Force station and flying boat base RAF Mount Batten, located in Plymouth Sound, Devon, initially, later these were replaced by the biplane torpedo bomber Fairey Swordfish float-plane variant.

The initial ship was Alcantara, followed by Pretoria Castle, Canton, Queen of Bermuda and Asturias.

The airfield was on loan from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and was the chosen location for Mobile Operational Naval Air Base III (MONAB III) logistical unit, which was already equipped with a mobile Beam Approach Beacon System (BABS) van,[8] however, the squadron’s training equipment did not materialise so it focused on the instrument flying training until 702 Naval Air Squadron was disbanded at RNAS Schofields in September 1946.

[1] In 1949 the squadron reformed at RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk), Cornwall, England, as the Naval Jet Evaluation Training Unit.

A fortnight after standing up it moved to RNAS Ford (HMS Peregrine), Sussex, where it disbanded almost twelve months later in August 1958, being absorbed into 727 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Brawdy (HMS Goldcrest), Pembrokeshire, Wales.

[1] All RN Westland Lynx Flights were initially parented by 700L Naval Air Squadron from July 1977.

[12] In January 1981 these roles were split and the headquarters parenting duty became the charge of 815 Naval Air Squadron.

[3] The squadron was also the home of the Black Cats – the Royal Navy’s official helicopter display team.