A British F-35B Lightning II warplane has been parked at Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram International Airport for more than two weeks after making an emergency landing following technical problems. The stealth fighter, which forms part of the Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, was on its way back from a combined military exercise with the Indian Navy when it diverted and landed in India on June 14.
F-35B is Waiting for the UK Engineering Team
The British High Commission has confirmed that the plane is ready for relocation to a hangar at the airport’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) center. UK engineering teams will carry out the move once they arrive in India with the necessary specialist equipment for repairs.
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is holding a British F-35B jet for repairs after it developed a technical snag. Britain accepted an invitation to shift the jet to the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul centre at the airport,” a UK High Commission official said.
“The plane will be shifted to the hangar once British engineering units come with specialist equipment, thus ensuring minimal disruption to the planned maintenance of other aircraft,” they further added.
British Navy Originally Refused Hangar Access
Whereas Air India had initially proposed providing hangar space to house the grounded fighter plane, the British Navy reportedly refused. The reason, sources quoted by NDTV state, was to avoid unauthorised inspection of the aircraft’s classified technology.
The F-35B is among the world’s most advanced stealth fighter jets, produced by American defense contractor Lockheed Martin as part of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) project. Its technologies, such as radar-absorbing materials and low radar cross-section, make it one of the most protected resources in contemporary war.
Technical Snag Emerged After Safe Landing
The plane had first diverted to Thiruvananthapuram because of “adverse weather conditions” that made it impossible to send it back to the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier.
A British F-35 fighter jet could not return to HMS Prince of Wales because of inclement weather. Safety concerns took precedence, and the aircraft diverted to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in India, where it landed safely. The aircraft has now developed a technical problem while on the ground, which prevented its return to the Carrier,” the UK High Commission in Bengaluru stated.
Airport officials had originally anticipated a turnaround within a short while after refueling. Unfortunately, the technical glitch continued, which has prolonged the stay of the fifth-generation fighter plane.
High-Level Coordination Between the UK and India
Throughout the grounding of the plane, UK authorities have kept high-level coordination with their equivalents in India, which include the Indian Air Force, Navy, and airport authorities.
“The plane will resume active service after repairs and safety inspections have been done. Ground crews remain in close cooperation with Indian authorities to maintain safety and security measures. We appreciate the support of the Indian authorities and Thiruvananthapuram International Airport,” said the UK High Commission in a statement.
Inside the F-35B: World’s Most Advanced Fighter Jet
The UK’s Royal Navy and the US Marine Corps fly the F-35B model, which stands out for its vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capability, making it ideal for catapultless aircraft carriers. It is among three F-35 models: the F-35A flown by the US Air Force and the F-35C by the US Navy.
The stealth fighter has a radar cross-section as small as 0.005 square metres—roughly the diameter of a golf ball—due to special paints and internal weapon bays that nullify radar visibility.
Critics have slammed the F-35 program for its exorbitant price, despite its unrivaled stealth and adaptability. The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimated the F-35 fleet’s life cycle cost at $1.7 trillion over 66 years due to heavy operation and maintenance requirements.
As the plane awaits repair and transport to the hangar, international observers are closely watching one of the world’s most sophisticated warplanes stranded far from home.