No 4 Helicopter Squadron has rendered yeoman service to the nation excelling in a multitude of tasks during the last 43 years, including offensive operations in the form of close Air Support, Armed Reconnaissance, Air Assault Operations as well as non offensive operations such as casualty Evacuation, combat search and rescue,, Re-supply operations, troop transport, Flood relief operations, fire fighting and VVIP/VIP transport, the last of which at present forms its primary role.

The Squadron was in the forefront of the re-supply and rescue operations conducted during the 1971 insurgency. Since the beginning of the Northern conflict in 1983, this Squadron has flown over 46,000 combat hours in varied missions with dedication and fcommitments, at times experiencing great losses to life and equipment. The men and machines of this Squadron   participated in all military operations carried out in the north and East until 1994 before its primary role changed VVIP/VIP transport.

Eleven Bell 212/412 helicopters of this Squadron were used extensively during the Vadamarachchi campaign in 1987. They were the first formations to drop Commando troops beyond enemy lines to be used as cut-offs. One helicopter of this Squadron flew into the besieged Jaffna Fort in a daring mission for re-supply and casualty evacuation in 1990, in what was code named "Operation Eagle". The helicopters of this Squadron provided air cover for the besieged Silawaturai camp for 72 hours continuously in 1991 and were able to save the camp from being overrun by the LTTE, who had surrounded the camp in large numbers.

Helicopters of this Squadron provided extensive air cover and were the prime rescue aircraft that airlifted the casualties from the besieged Elephant pass Army camp during "Operation Balawegaya" in 1991. When the Pooneryn Army camp under enemy attack in 1993, the aircrews of this Squadron were able to rescue large numbers of Army and Navy troops under heavy resistance from the enemy. They were also instrumental in flying the first reistance from the enemy. They wee also instrumental in flying the first reinforcement mission in to the camp.

An exceptionally high number of individual acts of gallantry performed by the officers and men of this Squadron have been recognized with the award of three WWVs, nineteen RWPs and thirty RSPs. At the same time, thirteen gallant officers and men of this Squadron have made the supreme sacrifice in the line duty.

The Squadron has also excelled in operations of a non-combat nature such as relief operations during natural calamities and conveyance of VVIPs and VIPs within the country. The tank bund breach at Kantalai in 1986, floods and earth slips in Kegalle in 1989, flood relief in Welioya in 1993, search and rescue missions during the southern floods in 2003 and, finally, the rescue and relief operations during the Tsunami in 2004 were some of the exceptional and praiseworthy contributions from this Squadron.