Joint Force Harrier (JFH) was established on 1 April 2000 in response to the proposal brought by the British Government as part of Strategic Defence Review.

The Royal Navy's contribution to the force was the Sea Harrier previously part of Naval Air Command.

[5] However, on 19 October 2010, as part of the UK government's Strategic Defence and Security Review, it was announced that the Harrier out-of-service date was to be brought forward to April 2011.

HMS Ark Royal, the last of the Invincible-class carriers, launched her final fixed wing aircraft on 24 November 2010 when the four embarked Harrier GR9s left the ship to return to land.

[6] On 15 December 2010, a 16 aircraft flypast from RAF Cottesmore marked the final operational flights of British Harriers.