Following the end of the Second World War, the Central Interpretation Unit was placed under the control of the newly established Central Photographic Establishment of Coastal Command. In August 1947 the unit's name was changed yet again, this time to the Joint Air Photographic Intelligence Centre (UK) - (JAPIC (UK)). In October 1947, APIC (UK) was renamed the Army Photographic Interpretation Unit (UK), (APIU (UK)), and although it continued to operate within JAPIC (UK), had special responsibilities to the Director of Military Intelligence. The Officer Commanding APIU (UK) was also deputy commandant of JAPIC (UK). In March 1950 the Central Photographic Establishment was disbanded and administrative control of JAPIC (UK) was transferred to HQ No 3 Group, Bomber Command, with Intelligence Control exercised by the Air Ministry. In December 1953, the unit was given the title of the Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre (United Kingdom), (JARIC (UK)). The personnel of APIU (UK) were absorbed into the establishment of this Joint Service Unit.

On 19 April 1996 the unit ceased to fall under operational control of the Royal Air Force and became an agency under the operational control of the Director General Intelligence and Geographic Requirements (now Director General Intelligence Collection), taking a more centralised government role within the Ministry of Defence. On 1 April 2000 the unit stopped functioning as an independent agency and merged with Military Survey into the Defence Geographic and Imagery Intelligence Agency (DGIA).

On 10 June 2006, DGI (as it became after agency status was removed) was renamed the Intelligence Collection Group (ICG) comprising the Defence Geographic Centre (DGC) based at Feltham, Middlesex, The Joint Signals Support Organisation (JSSO), based at RAF Digby, the Joint Aeronautical and Geographic Organisation (JAGO) at Hermitage and RAF Northolt and JARIC based at RAF Brampton.

JARIC was the prime provider of imagery intelligence and the UKs only Satellite Imagery Exploitation Unit. Although initially established to provide strategic intelligence for the needs of the British Government, its role evolved from the more traditional photographic analysis to encompass more technical intelligence disciplines such as: IMINT (IMagery INTelligence). IMINT is an intelligence gathering discipline which collects information via satellite and aerial photography. JARIC was involved in all aspects of imagery analysis from basic activity reporting to advanced scientific-based MASINT analysis. MASINT (Measurement And Signature INTelligence). MASINT is scientific and technical intelligence derived from the analysis of data obtained from sensing instruments for the purpose of identifying any distinctive features associated with the source, emitter or sender, to facilitate the latters measurement and identification. JARIC was the UKs only provider of imagery derived MASINT otherwise known as AGI or Advanced Geospatial Intelligence. GEOINT (GEOspatial INTelligence). GEOINT is an intelligence discipline comprising the exploitation and analysis of geographically determined information. GEOINT sources include imagery and mapping data, whether collected by commercial or military satellites, or by other capabilities such as UAV (Unmanned Airborne Vehicle) or reconnaissance aircraft.

In 2013, JARIC was disbanded when its roles and staff were transferred to the Defence Geospatial Intelligence Fusion Centre (DGIFC) at RAF Wyton.