[2][3] In 1959, the British Far East Fleet Clearance Diving Team (FECDT) established a base of operations at HMS Terror Camp, which is the current headquarters of the unit.

In 1988, with the RSN's rapid growing number of naval assets and an expanding scope of responsibilities, NDU took in its first batch of conscripts to meet its increased manpower requirements.

Naval divers were involved in the salvage operations following the 1991 SilkAir Flight MI185 crash,[6] and in humanitarian efforts during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

[12] In December 2022, the NDU announced that Captain (Dr) Chiew Wenqi is the first female navy sailor to be recruited after passing selection.

In Hell Week, trainees are subject to sleep deprivation, ice-cold baths, and stressed by machine-gun fire, non-stop physical exertion, team-based competitions, and seemingly nonsensical tasks which are meant to simulate the drawn-out chaos and discord of a wartime situation.

[18] The Clearance Diving Group, composed of regular servicemen and Full-time National Servicemen (NSFs), is tasked with helping to preserve the safety of Singapore's vital sea lines of communication, and specialises in improvised explosive device disruption, underwater mine disposal, and explosive ordnance disposal.

The group works alongside mine countermeasures vessels and is an integral part of the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit.

[20][21] The Frogman School is the training institute responsible for developing the maritime special operations capabilities for the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

[25] The unit was also the subject of the 2015 Jack Neo film Ah Boys to Men 3: Frogmen[26] which grossed S$7.8 million in the box office.

[27] It was filmed on location at the NDU headquarters in Sembawang Camp and some of the trainees and instructors participated in minor roles and as technical consultants.