UK's F35-B at Thiruvananthapuram Airport moved to MRO facility
New Delhi: The fifth generation
F35-B fighter
that has been stranded at the
Thiruvananthapuram Airport
after diverting from a
British aircraft carrier
due to a snag, has now been moved to a repair facility. A
British high commission
spokesperson said the UK has accepted an offer to move the aircraft to the
Maintenance Repair and Overhaul
facility at the airport.
"The aircraft will be moved to the hangar once
UK engineering teams
arrive with specialist equipment, thereby ensuring there is minimal disruption to the scheduled maintenance of other aircraft," the spokesperson said.
The advanced jet had to divert to the Indian airport after developing a serious
in-flight emergency
. While the nature of the technical fault has not been disclosed, it appears to be of a complex nature given that the jet has been stranded for nearly two weeks.
"The aircraft will return to active service once repairs and safety checks have been completed. Ground teams continue to work closely with
Indian authorities
to ensure safety and security precautions are observed," the spokesperson said.
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