Following the retirement of her fixed-wing British Aerospace Harrier II aircraft in 2010, "Illustrious" operated as one of two Royal Navy helicopter carriers. After 32 years' service, the oldest ship in the Royal Navy's active fleet was formally decommissioned on 28 August 2014 even though she would not be replaced until 's commissioning in 2017. Despite the UK Ministry of Defence's announcement in 2012 that, once decommissioned, "Illustrious" would be preserved for the nation, in 2016 she was sold and towed to Turkish company Leyal for scrapping.