&w=3840&q=100)
After emergency landing over 10 days ago, why UK's $110-million F-35B jet remains stranded in Kerala
The UK Royal Navy's F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet, worth $110 million, continues to be grounded at Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, after its emergency landing on the night of June 14. While a technical team assessed the aircraft, the problem remains. Here's what is going on with one of the world's most advanced war planes read more
A CISF personnel stand guard near the British F-35 fighter jet that made an emergency landing after running low on fuel at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on June 14 night. @CISFHQrs via PTI Photo
The British Royal Navy's F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet remains stranded in Kerala, nearly two weeks after it made an emergency landing. Built by the US-based Lockheed Martin, the aircraft is worth more than $110 million.
The fighter jet continues to be grounded at Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. This is the first time that the British Royal Navy's F-35B fighter has been stranded in a foreign country.
Let's take a closer look.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Why UK's F-35B jet made emergency landing
On the night of June 14, the United Kingdom Royal Navy's F-35 Lightning II fighter jet made an emergency landing at Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.
Defence officials told ANI that the aircraft was running low on fuel. It also faced bad weather as the jet was flying about 100 nautical miles off the coast of Kerala, leading to the pilot onboard the aircraft seeking permission to land at the civilian airport in the southern state, reported the Independent.
The jet declared an emergency and was detected and identified by the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) of the Indian Air Force (IAF), which cleared it for recovery, IAF said in a statement.
'A Royal Navy F-35B fighter was recovered following an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on the night of June 14. The IAF is providing all necessary support for the rectification and subsequent return of the aircraft,' it posted on X.
A Royal Navy F-35B fighter recovered off an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on the night of 14 June 25.
Operating from UK Aircraft Carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, it was undertaking routine flying outside Indian ADIZ with Thiruvananthapuram
earmarked… pic.twitter.com/gL2CQcuJc7 — Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) June 15, 2025
The stealth aircraft landed safely around 9:28 pm at the Kerala airport and was shifted to an isolated bay. The advanced fifth-generation fighter jet is reportedly part of the UK Royal Navy's aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The IAF helped with refuelling the stealth aircraft. However, the jet encountered hydraulic failure during its attempted return, defence officials told ANI.
What was the aircraft doing near India?
The F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet was carrying out sorties in the Indian Ocean from HMS Prince of Wales.
The jet was 'undertaking routine flying outside of the Indian Air Defence Identification Zone' when it faced problems and Thiruvananthapuram was 'earmarked as the emergency recovery field', the IAF said.
The night the fighter jet touched down in Kerala, a Royal Navy AW101 Merlin helicopter arrived at the Thiruvananthapuram airport with technicians to examine the plane. It also ferried a replacement pilot. However, it was decided to keep the jet grounded until the assistance of a British specialist team.
#UPDATE | A few days ago, the F-35 fighter jet of the UK Navy had made an emergency landing due to low fuel, after which the Indian Air Force had provided all required support, including refuelling. However, when the aircraft was going back, it developed a hydraulic failure and… https://t.co/nfwvoerz29 — ANI (@ANI) June 20, 2025
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
'A maintenance team of the UK Navy had come and tried to rectify the problem, but could not,' ANI quoted a statement by defence officials.
Why the British jet remains stranded after over 10 days
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is guarding the British aircraft, which remains parked at an open area near the domestic terminal amid concerns about monsoon rains.
As per an Onmanorama report, a 40-member expert team from the UK is expected to arrive soon to carry out repairs on the F-35B jet.
The team will take a call on whether to move the aircraft to a hangar for inspection or not. India had reportedly offered to move the jet to a hangar or temporary shed. However, this was declined by the Royal Navy. As per NDTV sources, the decision was likely due to concerns over F-35B's 'protected technologies'.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
A spokesperson for the British High Commission in Delhi told The Independent: 'We are working to repair the UK F-35B at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport as quickly as possible. We thank the Indian Authorities for their continued support.'
If necessary, the plane could be flown back aboard a military transport aircraft.
One of the most advanced fighter jets, the UK Royal Navy's F-35B has short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities. It also boasts state-of-the-art technology, including sensors, mission systems and stealth features that enable it to operate in hostile conditions while evading detection.
With inputs from agencies
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
What solution does Delhi's Central Ridge have for restoration
'I shouldn't presume that you all know what ruttputty means. Some would use it to describe the ratatat of a car, for example, or a washing machine that's on its last legs. But it is a word I grew up with. When I looked it up on Google, it cited a dictionary saying that Salman Rushdie used the word in Midnight's Children, using it to describe something that is ramshackled, rundown, or dilapidated,' says filmmaker and environmentalist Pradip Kishen. Kishen was the guest speaker for the Living Landscapes series, initiated by architect, writer and photographer Anuj Srivastava, which was started in 2024. The previous talks by experts were themed on the Aravalli Biodiversity Park, the Mehrauli Archaeological Park, the Lodhi Gardens, the India International Centre gardens, as well as the monsoon gardens of Rajasthan. On June 18, complementing Kishen's talk was a panel discussion with architect and urban designer KT Ravindran, environment and forest analyst Chetan Agarwal, moderated by Srivastava. Kishen's association with the Ridge goes back four decades. At the start of his presentation was a blue 'ruttputty' car covered with green creepers which was a dystopian analogy of the Central Ridge (C Ridge). While most of Delhi's citizens would be familiar with this woodland, the purpose of the talk was to track the degeneration over the years and the recent rehabilitation of its native ecology. The Ridge covers about 850 hectares, with half of it controlled by Delhi's forest department. Kishan spoke of William P Mustoe, the Superintendent of Horticulture Operations as part of (Edwin) Lutyens' cabinet, who designed New Delhi. It was Mustoe who proposed the invasive Neltuma Juliflora (Vilaiti keekar), an alien but sturdy tree. At the time, the question of the hour was to decide the location of the Viceroy's House. Viceroy Hardinge settled on the construction of the present-day Rashtrapati Bhavan in a stretch of land (or here, a forest) which overlooks the entire city. By 1912, as Delhi was being planned, the Ridge came to be known as an 'amenity forest'. It was, at its core, meant to resemble the countryside the British were used to and make them feel at 'home'. It got the status of a reserved forest in August 1914 and an area of 450 hectares was marked for planting. A Punjab-based forester, Richard Parker, records the resilience of the native shrubs. Kishan held the opinion that restoration using natural regeneration could have worked instead of introducing new plants such as jamun and sheesham which require moisture and deeper soil, which the C Ridge was incapable of providing. Currently, the Ridge is rife with encroachments. Kishan, though, is hopeful of transforming as was done in the Mangarbani forest, in Haryana, with the dhau. A 'habitat specialist', it is capable of growing on steep slopes, can regenerate from its own stem, and grows sideways as well, forming green carpets along a rocky terrain. During the panel discussion, Ravindran spoke of the further degradation that came with the metro construction. It led to the never-ending debate upon the tradeoff between preserving natural ecology over development. Agarwal spoke of the importance of informed opinions for restoration and revival of the now lost natural vegetation. The experts collectively felt the only recourse was judicial and citizen action complemented by protection bodies that could work towards a masterplan for the C Ridge that would be a more solution-oriented way. Hia Mehra is an intern with the Indian Express
India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
Safest building in the world, it can't be destroyed by nuclear bomb, not White House, not Pentagon, it is..., located in..., name is...
Safest building in the world, it can't be destroyed by nuclear bomb, not White House, not Pentagon, it is..., located in..., name is... There is tension between Iran and Israel. Recently, US has also attacked Iran's nuclear sites with its B-2 bomber. Although there has been a ceasefire between the two countries, the tension does not seem to be reducing. In such a situation, people believe that the world seems to be on the verge of a big war. There is a lot of discussion about the Third World War in Western countries. Many people have even started preparing for how to keep themselves safe in the midst of destructive situations. In such a situation, people's attention is drawn towards which place can be safe in a situation like the Third World War and nuclear attack. There is a house in Britain which is more secure than the White House, the official residence of the US President. It is claimed that it is safe even in a nuclear attack. What is the name of this house? The name of this house is 'Doctor Who's mansion'. It is the only place in Britain that will remain safe even if the Third World War breaks out. With everyone worried about the possibility of a Third World War, a house has been described as the safest place in Britain in case of a nuclear holocaust. Whose property is this? Documents uncovered by the BBC in 2016 reveal that a mansion in the middle of the British countryside, which was once used to film Doctor Who, would be used as an escape route in case of any serious attack. Wood Norton Hall, located in the middle of the woodsof Worcestershire, was bought by the BBC before World War II. The BBC acquired this property to act as a backup broadcasting center at a safe distance from London and other sensitive cities as a result of attacks on Britain. It has been hardened to… In the 1960s, the estate was converted into a hardened section capable of withstanding a nuclear attack. It was named the Protected Area Wood Norton (Wood Norton Protected Area). The building thus became one of 11 protected facilities built to continue the wartime broadcasting service in the event of a nuclear means that this fort-like mansion built in the middle of Norton Forest can withstand a nuclear attack in a situation like the Third World War and from here, BBC will be able to easily broadcast its news uninterrupted.
First Post
4 hours ago
- First Post
After emergency landing over 10 days ago, why UK's $110-million F-35B jet remains stranded in Kerala
The UK Royal Navy's F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet, worth $110 million, continues to be grounded at Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, after its emergency landing on the night of June 14. While a technical team assessed the aircraft, the problem remains. Here's what is going on with one of the world's most advanced war planes read more A CISF personnel stand guard near the British F-35 fighter jet that made an emergency landing after running low on fuel at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on June 14 night. @CISFHQrs via PTI Photo The British Royal Navy's F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet remains stranded in Kerala, nearly two weeks after it made an emergency landing. Built by the US-based Lockheed Martin, the aircraft is worth more than $110 million. The fighter jet continues to be grounded at Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. This is the first time that the British Royal Navy's F-35B fighter has been stranded in a foreign country. Let's take a closer look. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Why UK's F-35B jet made emergency landing On the night of June 14, the United Kingdom Royal Navy's F-35 Lightning II fighter jet made an emergency landing at Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. Defence officials told ANI that the aircraft was running low on fuel. It also faced bad weather as the jet was flying about 100 nautical miles off the coast of Kerala, leading to the pilot onboard the aircraft seeking permission to land at the civilian airport in the southern state, reported the Independent. The jet declared an emergency and was detected and identified by the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) of the Indian Air Force (IAF), which cleared it for recovery, IAF said in a statement. 'A Royal Navy F-35B fighter was recovered following an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on the night of June 14. The IAF is providing all necessary support for the rectification and subsequent return of the aircraft,' it posted on X. A Royal Navy F-35B fighter recovered off an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on the night of 14 June 25. Operating from UK Aircraft Carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, it was undertaking routine flying outside Indian ADIZ with Thiruvananthapuram earmarked… — Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) June 15, 2025 The stealth aircraft landed safely around 9:28 pm at the Kerala airport and was shifted to an isolated bay. The advanced fifth-generation fighter jet is reportedly part of the UK Royal Navy's aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The IAF helped with refuelling the stealth aircraft. However, the jet encountered hydraulic failure during its attempted return, defence officials told ANI. What was the aircraft doing near India? The F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet was carrying out sorties in the Indian Ocean from HMS Prince of Wales. The jet was 'undertaking routine flying outside of the Indian Air Defence Identification Zone' when it faced problems and Thiruvananthapuram was 'earmarked as the emergency recovery field', the IAF said. The night the fighter jet touched down in Kerala, a Royal Navy AW101 Merlin helicopter arrived at the Thiruvananthapuram airport with technicians to examine the plane. It also ferried a replacement pilot. However, it was decided to keep the jet grounded until the assistance of a British specialist team. #UPDATE | A few days ago, the F-35 fighter jet of the UK Navy had made an emergency landing due to low fuel, after which the Indian Air Force had provided all required support, including refuelling. However, when the aircraft was going back, it developed a hydraulic failure and… — ANI (@ANI) June 20, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'A maintenance team of the UK Navy had come and tried to rectify the problem, but could not,' ANI quoted a statement by defence officials. Why the British jet remains stranded after over 10 days The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is guarding the British aircraft, which remains parked at an open area near the domestic terminal amid concerns about monsoon rains. As per an Onmanorama report, a 40-member expert team from the UK is expected to arrive soon to carry out repairs on the F-35B jet. The team will take a call on whether to move the aircraft to a hangar for inspection or not. India had reportedly offered to move the jet to a hangar or temporary shed. However, this was declined by the Royal Navy. As per NDTV sources, the decision was likely due to concerns over F-35B's 'protected technologies'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A spokesperson for the British High Commission in Delhi told The Independent: 'We are working to repair the UK F-35B at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport as quickly as possible. We thank the Indian Authorities for their continued support.' If necessary, the plane could be flown back aboard a military transport aircraft. One of the most advanced fighter jets, the UK Royal Navy's F-35B has short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities. It also boasts state-of-the-art technology, including sensors, mission systems and stealth features that enable it to operate in hostile conditions while evading detection. With inputs from agencies
