Week since emergency landing, UK's F-35B fighter still grounded in Kerala; military airlift likely

The Print

21-06-2025

The jet had been operating from UK Royal Navy's aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales and was flying outside India's Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) when it was diverted to Thiruvananthapuram, which had been designated as its emergency recovery airfield.
A larger technical team from the UK is expected to arrive in Kerala to carry out repairs and the jet may be flown back aboard a military transport aircraft if necessary.
New Delhi: The British Royal Navy's F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet remains grounded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, a week after it made an emergency landing last Saturday following a suspected hydraulic failure.
According to the Indian Air Force (IAF), the fighter declared an emergency and was detected and identified by the IAF's Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS), which cleared it for recovery.
'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,' the IAF posted on X.
Defence officials told news agency ANI that the aircraft initially landed due to low fuel and was refuelled by the IAF. However, a hydraulic failure occurred during its attempted return to the carrier.
A maintenance team of the UK Navy had come and tried to rectify the problem, but could not. A bigger maintenance team is expected to come to recover the aircraft. If required, the aircraft may even be taken back in a military transport aircraft, according to the report.
The F-35B Lightning II, developed by US defence giant Lockheed Martin, is widely regarded as one of the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world. A fifth-gen stealth multirole jet, the F-35B is the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the F-35 family, built for operations from aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships.
Powered by a single Pratt & Whitney F135 engine, the F-35B integrates stealth coatings, sensor fusion and electronic warfare capabilities, enabling it to detect, track and engage targets across air, land and sea.
Multiple reports indicate that the fighter may have suffered fuel starvation on final approach, possibly damaging critical components of the jet's engine, which enables vertical landing. Since then, the aircraft has remained parked in the open at Bay No. 4, under guard of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and is subject to Kerala's intense monsoon conditions.
India had reportedly offered to relocate the aircraft to a hangar or temporary shed, but the offer was not taken up by the Royal Navy. The move is believed to stem from concerns over the F-35B's sensitive technologies, including its stealth coating and advanced sensor fusion systems. No official statement has been issued on the matter.
Keeping the aircraft in the open also permits the UK to maintain continuous satellite oversight of the fighter.
Last Sunday, a Royal Navy Merlin helicopter delivered a replacement pilot and technical team for the jet. Additional technicians were flown in but returned to the carrier Tuesday, leaving a smaller crew to continue troubleshooting on site.
The British team is stationed at the airport's emergency medical centre to maintain visual oversight of the jet, in line with British requests.
The HMS Prince of Wales and its strike group are deployed in the Indo-Pacific and just concluded joint maritime exercises with the Indian Navy.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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