[8][full citation needed] The unit was founded as the Naval Special Operations Battalion (Chinese: 海军特种作战大队)[9] in 2002.

In April 2017 the Tuvalu-registered cargo ship OS35 was hijacked by Somali pirates in the waters of the Gulf of Aden.

At the time, the PLA Navy's Yulin, a Type 054A Frigate in China's South Sea Fleet was participating in anti-piracy patrols.

On 5 May 2017, three pirates were captured by the unit's personnel and handed over to the Somali Police Force.

[8] The brigade is used for Visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS),[15] anti-piracy, air assault,[16][15] direct action, combat diving,[4][3] sabotage[15] and amphibious reconnaissance.