Between December 1979 and the summer of 2013, 846 Naval Air Squadron operated the Westland Sea King HC4 helicopter to provide troop transport and load lifting support to 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines.

Based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset, 846 NAS stood down in the summer of 2013 and its personnel, buildings and equipment were amalgamated into 845 Naval Air Squadron.

The squadron stood up on 30 September 2014 with the AgustaWestland Merlin MK3 and it now holds the Operational Conversion Flight and Maritime Counter Terrorism Role.

On 4 May 1945, twelve Avenger and four Wildcat aircraft of the squadron took part in Operation Judgement, the last air-raid of the war in Europe.

In April 1982, 846 NAS embarked aboard the carrier HMS Hermes as part of the Royal Navy task force in the Falklands War.

Between November 1983 and March 1984, a detachment of three Sea Kings was deployed aboard HMS Fearless and RFA Reliant to the coast of Lebanon supporting British troops involved in peacekeeping operations in Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War and took part in the eventual withdrawal of British troops and the evacuation of civilians from Beirut, airlifting 521 civilians on 10 March 1994.

In January 1993, 846 NAS was deployed until March aboard the carrier HMS Ark Royal to the Adriatic as part of UN operations in Yugoslavia.

[5] Shortly after returning to the UK the squadron was deployed to Northern Ireland to replace 707 NAS to provide support to security forces.

[6][7] Since 2007, the 10 Sea King HC4/HC3i helicopters of 846 NAS were committed to the Kandahar and Helmand provinces in Afghanistan in support of 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines.