The KSF is tasked with defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kosovo, military support for civilian authorities, and participation in international peacekeeping missions and operations.

KFOR entered Kosovo on 12 June 1999 under a United Nations mandate, two days after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

According to guidelines laid out in the Ahtisaari Plan, the Kosovo Security Force was initially permitted to carry light weapons.

[9] On 15 September 2009 the Kosovo Security Force officially began to work, having gained its initial operational capacities after an eight-month training with NATO instructors.

This included search and rescue operations, explosive ordnance disposal, control and clearance of hazardous materials, firefighting, and other humanitarian assistance tasks.

One of the principal aims was to encourage all minorities to enroll, so special attention was given to carrying out the recruitment process in two languages – Albanian and Serbian.

Following the declaration of full operational capability, NATO continued to support the development of the KSF through the NATO Liaison and Advisory Team (NLAT), consisting of a mix of approximately 30 military and civilian personnel that help with the professional development of the KSF, providing advice and support in a variety of areas such as capacity-building and training and leadership.

[13] On 5 March 2014, Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi declared that the Government of Kosovo had decided to establish a Defence Ministry and by 2019, officially transform the KSF into the Kosovo Armed Forces (Albanian: Forcat e Armatosura të Kosovës, FAK), which was supposed to meet all NATO standards, aiming to join the alliance in the future.

The new army was planned to have 5,000 active members and 3,000 reservists and be composed of the land forces, a national guard, as well as logistics and training commands.

[18] On 28 May 2014, President Atifete Jahjaga told the United Nations Security Council that the creation of the Kosovo Armed Forces would be a long process, requiring the support and participation of all ethnic communities in Kosovo; she added that its purpose would be to contribute to overall security in the Balkans and called on all ethnic communities to take part in the process.

After the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Assembly of Kosovo passed a resolution, urging the government to start NATO membership bid.

[25] The Kosovo Security Force has enjoyed a significant increase in investment in recruiting, training, and equipment since the 2018 legislation change.

[30] Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO, said he regrets that the Kosovo Assembly has decided to transform KSF despite concerns from the alliance, adding that "this move comes at the wrong time".

[31] Also, Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs has expressed regret over Kosovo's move to form a new army.

[40] In early 2024, a contingent of 26 KSF instructors traveled to the UK to participate in Operation Interflex, which provides training and support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The Ministry of Defense of Kosovo (MoD) is responsible for exercising civilian control over the Force, including management and administration.

The mission of the MoD, is to formulate, implement, evaluate and develop the policies and activities of the KSF within a framework of democratic governance and in accordance with the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Kosovo.

In April 2013, 179 (8.2%) of the Kosovo Security Force's military personnel came from minority backgrounds, the remainder being ethnic Albanians.

[51] In May 2014, Kosovar President Atifete Jahjaga noted to the United Nations Security Council that 9% of the KSF were from minority communities.

Minister of the KSF, Rustem Berisha stated that the personnel in question were pressured by Serbia and had received "blackmail and threats" violating their basic human rights.

[53] The Third Regiment will get its validation in 2025 during the Defender Europe 25 exercise, thus closing the Second Phase of the transition of the KSF into the Kosovo Armed Forces.

The National Guard Command of the KSF was established in 2019 and its main responsibility is to provide military support to civilian authorities.