815 Naval Air Squadron 815 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Fleet Air Arm , part of the Royal Navy . The squadron is currently based at RNAS Yeovilton ( HMS Heron ) in Somerset , United Kingdom and it is the Navy ' s front line Lynx Naval Air Squadron . It currently comprises about 30 Lynx Mk8 SRU helicopters . It is the largest helicopter squadron in western Europe . History . World War II . The squadron initially formed at RNAS Worthy Down on 9 October 1939 , from the remnants of 811 and 822 squadron s that had survived the sinking of their carrier HMS Courageous in September 1939 , with Fairey Swordfish aircraft . The squadron disbanded in November 1939 , but reformed the same month however . In May 1940 the squadron provided support to the Dunkirk evacuation . In June 1940 the squadron embarked on HMS Illustrious and sailed for the Mediterranean in August , attacking and minelaying Benghazi , Rhodes and Tobruk . The squadron gained early fame with its involvement in the Battle of Taranto in 1940 . The battle consisted of a raid on the Italian Battlefleet in harbour at Taranto which redefined the use of air power from the sea . During the battle only one squadron aircraft was lost ( unfortunately with the Squadrons Commanding Officer ) , compared to the crippling of half the Italian Fleet . In March 1941 , the squadron was once again involved in a major battle of the Second World War at the Battle of Cape Matapan . The squadron re - equipped in August 1941 with a mixture of Swordfish and Fairey Albacore aircraft , operating from shore bases in support of the North African campaign . In July 1943 , 815 Squadron was assigned to No . 201 ( Naval Co - operation ) Group with a detachment of Swordfish assigned to AHQ Malta . Both units participated in Operation Husky on 10 July 1943 , before 815 Squadron was disbanded . On Fairey Barracudas . The squadron reformed in October 1943 at RNAS Lee - on - Solent ( HMS Daedalus ) to operate Fairey Barracuda torpedo bombers , operating from with the Eastern Fleet , flying airstrikes over Sumatra in August – September 1944 . It disbanded once again in November 1944 before reforming in December 1944 at RNAS Machrihanish ( HMS Landrail ) , flying Barracudas for anti - submarine operations , the following month being spent doing DLT ( deck landing training ) on HMS Campania . The squadron then was transferred to the Far East aboard HMS Smiter , but saw no action before VJ - Day , and returned to the UK in September 1945 aboard HMS Fencer . Post Second World War . Avenger and Gannet . The squadron disbanded some time after the war and reformed in 1947 from 744 Squadron , flying Grumman Avenger s , who were replaced in their turn with Fairey Gannet s the last fixed - wing aircraft of the Squadron when it disbanded at RNAS Culdrose ( HMS Seahawk ) , July 1958 . Westland Whirlwind . In September 1958 the squadron reformed and the first helicopters arrived in the form of the Westland Whirlwind HAS . 7 , moving to RNAS Portland ( HMS Osprey ) when engine troubles started to plague the Whirlwinds . The squadron eventually disbanded here on August 1959 , by being renumbered to 737 Squadron . The squadron reformed again on 8 September 1959 , still on with Whirlwinds . After a Far East tour on HMS Albion , it disbanded again in December 1960 . Westland Wessex . On 4 Jul 1961 , the Squadron recommissioned at RNAS Culdrose with the Westland Wessex HAS . 1 . The squadron embarked on HMS Ark Royal in November 1961 , moving to HMS Centaur in 1964 and provided support against disturbances in Aden and in Tanganyika ( now Tanzania ) . After a final deployment on HMS Ark Royal , the unit disbanded at RNAS Culdrose in October 1966 . Westland Lynx . In January 1981 , after a gap of some 15 years , the squadron re - commissioned at RNAS Yeovilton ( HMS Heron ) with the Lynx HAS . 2 as the Headquarters Squadron for embarked Lynx Flights . It then moved to RNAS Portland ( HMS Osprey ) in 1982 and it saw action during the Falklands War of 1982 . The flights were shared with 829 Naval Air Squadron until they were amalgamated in 1993 when they became the largest helicopter squadron in the world at the time . In 1998 / 9 after an absence of nearly 17 years , the unit moved back to RNAS Yeovilton , with the closure of RNAS Portland . Several of the Lynx Helicopters are stated as part of the Response Force Task Group . In November 2012 the Lynx of 217 Flight deployed to the Horn of Africa for four months on board the French frigate Surcouf , the first extended deployment of a British helicopter on a French warship . Current composition . The squadron is currently composed of a Headquarters and approximately 26 Small Ship ' s Flights . The Headquarters are responsible for training , maintenance and doctrine for the aircraft . The individual ships ' flights operate embarked in a few Type 23 Frigate s , the Type 45 Destroyer s , Aircraft carrier s and RFA s all around the world . Aircraft flown . Currently , the squadron only flies the Westland Lynx HMA . 8 . A list of aircraft that have been flown by 815 Naval Air Squadron in the past include :