The USAF intended to use the weapon with its General Dynamics FB-111 strike aircraft; however, in 1982 rising costs led them to pull out of the programme, and the British completed development on their own for potential use with the Panavia Tornado, SEPECAT Jaguar and Hawker Siddeley Harrier.

Standing above the surface on the coronet of spring steel legs, they would tilt toward a bulldozer blade when pushed before detonating and firing the forged fragments toward the vehicle.

[2] Unlike most other submunition delivery systems that essentially function as free-falling bombs, the JP233 dispenser pods remained with their aircraft during operation and were jettisoned once empty.

Deployment required the aircraft to fly low, straight and level over an enemy airfield, and when over the runway the pods would dispense their payload.

During the Gulf War, it was widely reported in the popular press that Tornados were shot down by anti-aircraft artillery fire and MANPADS during delivery of the JP233 munition.

[citation needed] Only one aircraft was lost carrying the JP233, when Tornado ZA392 crashed into the ground approximately 16 km (10 mi) after delivering the weapon at low level; enemy fire was not reported and it was believed that this was an incident of controlled flight into terrain.

With the increasing availability of standoff attack munitions capable of the same mission with little risk to the flight crew and aircraft, and the British entry into the Land Mines Treaty (which declares the HB-876 illegal), the UK withdrew the JP233 from service in 1998.