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Newsweek
23-07-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
F-35 Myths Debunked as Foreign Faith in US Fighter Jet is Tested
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. U.S. President Donald Trump's triumphant strides back into the White House put NATO's European countries, as well as Canada, on edge. His historic skepticism about the alliance was one thing, but military planners in countries buying U.S. hardware began questioning whether the F-35—the world's most expensive weapons program—had been the right choice. The Lockheed Martin-made F-35 is the only real option for Western militaries outside the U.S. to get hold of a fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft, and many of the 20 nations operating or buying them are NATO members. Fifth-generation planes are the most advanced currently in operation, with sixth-generation aircraft in the early development stages. As Trump settled back into the Oval Office, rumors of a "kill switch" started floating around in defense circles. There was—according to the whispers—effectively a button the U.S. could press to control the aircraft bought and operated by recipient countries. Although the Pentagon and analysts quickly tamped down on such talk, when paired with the Trump administration's at times abrasive and unpredictable approach to foreign policy, it made many think twice about just how wise it was to put all the fifth-generation eggs in the F-35 basket. A F-35B Lightning II fighter. The American-made F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has become arguably the most coveted fighter jet across the globe. A F-35B Lightning II fighter. The American-made F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has become arguably the most coveted fighter jet across the globe. Chris Hanoch/Lockheed Martin Corporation For now, after months of uncertainty for many U.S. allies, the worries seem to have cooled—at least for now. The U.K. announced at NATO's biggest summit of the year in June that it was buying at least 12 F-35A fighter jets, adding to the F-35B variants it already has. This means the country's Royal Air Force could join NATO's dual capable aircraft fleet, featuring jets certified to carry American tactical nuclear weapons as well as conventional bombs and missiles. The same month, Israel showed what the F-35 can do in combat when it began its campaign against Iran's nuclear sites and scientists. Israel's F-35s were vital in slicing away air defenses and clearing a path into Iranian territory for the rest of its aircraft—and, later, for U.S. forces—to target Tehran's most sensitive sites. But while panic has abated around U.S. trustworthiness as an ally to F-35 countries, the hard look at many nations' dependence on the U.S. shouldn't be cast away so soon, according to some. "The concept of a kill switch has been debunked, but there will always be concerns of over-reliance on a single supply source," retired Air Marshal Greg Bagwell, a former senior commander in the U.K.'s RAF, told Newsweek. The Qualms While experts and officials were quick to downplay concerns over a kill switch as they surfaced in early 2025, they conceded that the U.S. could have a very noticeable impact on how well these expensive aircraft operate, should it choose to influence software upgrades or halt access to intelligence and mission data. NATO has observed the U.S. cutting off its vital military aid deliveries to Ukraine several times and also choke Kyiv's access to American-derived intelligence in a bid to bend Ukraine to its will, namely to join ceasefire talks. Ukraine, U.S. allies could see, was backed into a corner by its dependence on the U.S. "If an F-35 user wanted to use the jets in a way that the United States was not happy with, then that would be a limited capability, because Lockheed Martin would be very soon able to turn off the support tap to the particular nation in question," Andrew Curtis, a retired RAF air commodore, told Newsweek. "So even though there might not necessarily be an actual 'kill switch,' the United States definitely has the capability to make things very difficult for F-35 users." A European official from one of the Baltic states, which stare down Russia directly, said in May there was growing concern that the U.S. could curtail sovereign decision-making for military operations should Russia invade and the eastern flank need to defend itself. The memory of how the U.S. treated Ukraine is still fresh, the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Newsweek. The person was referring to all military supplies but indicated a broader worry about the rapprochement with Russia that Trump pursued from the start of his second term. More recently, the president has become more publicly frustrated with Russia as ceasefire negotiations made little headway. "If I were sitting in the Baltics at the moment, I would be thinking very seriously about the F-35 and the constraints that might be put on me" in the long term, Sir Christopher Coville, a retired U.K. air marshal, told Newsweek. A central European official involved with defense planning told Newsweek earlier this year that the countries operating F-35s in Europe had reassured one another their commitment to the fifth-generation stealth fighters was "ironclad." Dutch defense minister Ruben Brekelmans said in March it was in the "interest of all" for the F-35 to succeed. "I don't see any signs of the United States backtracking," Brekelmans added. Munitions are loaded on to an F-35A Lightning II during a 'hot' integrated combat turn on June 11, 2025, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. Munitions are loaded on to an F-35A Lightning II during a 'hot' integrated combat turn on June 11, 2025, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. Airman 1st Class Amanda Alvarez/U.S. Air Force The Pentagon had not signaled any intention that the U.S. would restrict use of partner nations' F-35s, the central European official said at the time. To do so would undermine U.S. defense exports across the world, they said, but added Europe's efforts to increase spending and production will gradually sideline all U.S. military imports. The Political Moves Adjusting to hostile messaging from the White House and a trade war at the start of the year, Canada put its planned procurement of 88 F-35 fighter jets under review. Portugal's outgoing government said in March that Lisbon needed to consider the new "geopolitical environment" when considering a recommendation to purchase F-35s, which cost roughly $100 million apiece. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in June the review would be wrapped up by the end of the summer, and that Ottawa had discussed fighter jet and submarine purchases with NATO allies. Trump has repeatedly called Canada the "51st state," a label slapped away by Ottawa. But the hint that the administration could annex Canada has lingered, albeit as an unlikely prospect. Retired Lieutenant General Yvan Blondin, commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force from 2012 until 2015, has advocated for a long, hard look at Canada's F-35 order. It is worth examining whether fourth-generation alternatives could work, he told Newsweek, but said "there's no better military option" than the U.S. stealth jet. Sixth-Generation Fighters Several different sixth-generation programs are in the works, piecing together manned fighter jets designed to be even harder to detect than their predecessors. Expected to come into service from the mid-2030s, they are also more automated and kitted out with more advanced avionics and weapons. The U.K., Italy and Japan have banded together on a sixth-generation fighter program called the Global Combat Air Programme—an industrial partnership underwritten by government treaties. On July 17, British defense giant BAE Systems unveiled the demonstrator aircraft for GCAP, expected to be able to fly within the next three years, and testing technologies that will go into the jet, called Tempest. France, Germany and Spain are working on a Future Combat Air System project, or FCAS, although it is currently expected to produce a sixth generation jet up to 10 years after GCAP. And there was tension last month after France told Germany it wanted a workshare of 80 percent in the project. The U.S. has two main programs, one for the Air Force, one for the Navy. Trump unveiled the Air Force's F-47 at a March briefing. "We're confident that it massively overpowers the capabilities of any other nation," he said. The Pentagon hopes to prioritize F-47 development over the Navy's parallel program, F/A-XX. It believes pursuing two programs at once could slow down both, Bloomberg reported in June. But Trump, in the same briefing, said the version of the "most advanced, most capable, most lethal aircraft ever built" sold to allies would be "toned down" by 10 percent. It is widely accepted that the U.S. has blunted its cutting-edge technology before it is shipped abroad, experts and officials said. It was the overt acknowledgment of something that had for decades been expressed in private that threw allies and prospective buyers, said the central European official. "This is not a great selling point for the F-47," said Blondin. An F-35 is assembled at Lockheed Martin Fort Worth Texas. An F-35 is assembled at Lockheed Martin Fort Worth Texas. MSgt USMC ret Randy A. Crites/Lockheed Martin Corporation There is a "bigger incentive" now for European NATO members to be involved in European-led sixth-generation programs, the central European official previously told Newsweek. They said they expected more countries to want to have a look-in at the development of these aircraft, and particularly to have their domestic industry contribute to sixth-generation programs. There will certainly be more interest in the jets' development on the continent now than before Trump was reelected, said Gabrielius Landsbergis, who served as Lithuania's foreign minister until November 2024. "There will be an increased pressure on pan-European projects, that is for sure," Landsbergis told Newsweek.
Economic Times
22-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
The cost of parking a fighter jet in Kerala: Here's how much the UK may have to pay for grounded F-35B
TNN F-35Bs are highly advanced stealth jets, built by Lockheed Martin, and are prized for their short take-off and vertical landing capability. A British F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet, which was grounded at Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram International Airport since June 14 due to a hydraulic system fault, is now expected to take off on July 22. But before that, the UK may have to settle a hefty parking bill for keeping the jet stationed on Indian soil for over 35 days. The fifth-generation fighter, part of the UK Royal Navy's fleet aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales , made an emergency landing at the civilian airport after developing a snag mid-sortie about 100 nautical miles off Kerala's coast. The jet, facing low fuel and poor weather, was granted permission to land at Thiruvananthapuram, which is designated as an emergency recovery airfield. The Indian Air Force assisted with refuelling, while the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) ensured round-the-clock security for the aircraft. Initially parked on the tarmac and exposed to Kerala's heavy monsoon rains, the F-35B became the subject of lighthearted social media posts and memes, with the Kerala Tourism Department cheekily captioning a photo of the jet: 'Kerala, the destination you'll never want to leave.' Despite India suggesting a hangar shift due to weather concerns, the UK reportedly declined at first. Eventually, a 24-member Royal Air Force technical team—including 14 engineers and 10 crew—arrived on July 6 with specialized equipment to repair the jet. The aircraft was then moved to the Air India Engineering Services hangar for maintenance. According to reports, the UK will be charged ₹26,261 per day for parking, bringing the total to around ₹9.19 lakh for 35 days. Hangar usage charges from July 6 onward will be levied by AI Engineering Services Ltd. The aircraft's departure details remain under wraps, with final refuelling and logistics still being worked out. F-35Bs are highly advanced stealth jets, built by Lockheed Martin, and are prized for their short take-off and vertical landing capability.
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Time of India
British Royal Navy's Fighter Jet Set to Fly Back After Being Grounded in India for 37 Days
A British Royal Navy F-35B Lightning II fighter jet that made an emergency landing at an Indian international airport on June 14 is now ready to return to the UK. Parked at the Air India hangar for over a month due to a technical snag, the $110 million stealth aircraft has undergone full repairs by British aviation engineers. The advanced 5th-generation jet, one of the UK's most powerful and technologically advanced, racked up significant parking and maintenance charges at the Indian airport. Watch this video to know what went wrong, how it was fixed, and why the world's most sophisticated fighter was grounded for nearly a month.#f35b #royalnavy #britishfighterjet #stealthjet #indiauk #emergencylanding #fighterjet #militaryaviation #aviationnews #jetgrounded #f35india #ukdefense #airindia #indianairport #globaldefense #toi #toibharat #bharat #trending #breakingnews #indianews
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
The cost of parking a fighter jet in Kerala: Here's how much the UK may have to pay for grounded F-35B
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel A British F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet , which was grounded at Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram International Airport since June 14 due to a hydraulic system fault, is now expected to take off on July 22. But before that, the UK may have to settle a hefty parking bill for keeping the jet stationed on Indian soil for over 35 fifth-generation fighter, part of the UK Royal Navy's fleet aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, made an emergency landing at the civilian airport after developing a snag mid-sortie about 100 nautical miles off Kerala's coast. The jet, facing low fuel and poor weather, was granted permission to land at Thiruvananthapuram, which is designated as an emergency recovery Indian Air Force assisted with refuelling, while the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) ensured round-the-clock security for the aircraft. Initially parked on the tarmac and exposed to Kerala's heavy monsoon rains, the F-35B became the subject of lighthearted social media posts and memes, with the Kerala Tourism Department cheekily captioning a photo of the jet: 'Kerala, the destination you'll never want to leave.'Despite India suggesting a hangar shift due to weather concerns, the UK reportedly declined at first. Eventually, a 24-member Royal Air Force technical team—including 14 engineers and 10 crew—arrived on July 6 with specialized equipment to repair the jet. The aircraft was then moved to the Air India Engineering Services hangar for to reports, the UK will be charged ₹26,261 per day for parking, bringing the total to around ₹9.19 lakh for 35 days. Hangar usage charges from July 6 onward will be levied by AI Engineering Services aircraft's departure details remain under wraps, with final refuelling and logistics still being worked out. F-35Bs are highly advanced stealth jets, built by Lockheed Martin, and are prized for their short take-off and vertical landing capability.
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First Post
21-07-2025
- Automotive
- First Post
What did it cost to park UK fighter jet stranded in Kerala for over a month?
A British fighter jet stuck in Kerala for over five weeks is ready to leave India after repairs on Tuesday (July 22). The F-35B Lightning II stealth aircraft has been grounded in the southern state since it landed at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in mid-June. Now, the plane has incurred a hefty parking fee of Rs 26,261 per day read more A British Royal Navy fighter jet being moved to a designated facility for British engineers to assess it after remaining stranded for about a month following a technical issue, at Kerala airport in Thiruvananthapuram, July 6, 2025. File Photo/PTI A stranded British fighter jet is set to leave Kerala after more than five weeks. The state-of-the-art F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet is expected to fly out of the southern Indian state on Tuesday (July 22). The British Royal Navy's plane had landed in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in mid-June and remained grounded since then. The jet inadvertently became a unique ambassador to promote the state's tourism, with the prolonged grounding making it a subject of jokes. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But how much did it cost to park the British plane in a foreign airport? Let's take a closer look. Why British jet remained grounded in Kerala for weeks The UK Royal Navy's F-35 Lightning II fighter jet made an emergency landing at Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on the night of June 14. The highly advanced stealth jet, built by Lockheed Martin, is worth more than $110 million. According to defence officials, the British 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 plane seeking permission to land at the civilian airport in Thiruvananthapuram. The Indian Air Force (IAF) helped with refuelling the UK's advanced stealth aircraft, which was part of the fleet of the HMS Prince of Wales. However, the jet encountered hydraulic failure during its attempted return. Despite efforts to repair it, the plane continued to be grounded. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) guarded the British aircraft, which was parked at bay number 4 of the domestic terminal. While India offered to move the jet to a hangar or temporary shed amid concerns about monsoon rains, the UK initially resisted the calls. How the British fighter jet was finally repaired A 24-member British Royal Air Force technical team landed in Kerala on July 6 on board a Royal Air Force Airbus A400M Atlas aircraft to inspect the grounded jet. It comprised 14 technical experts from the British Royal Air Force and 10 crew members. The team came with specialist equipment necessary for the movement and repair process. A British Royal Air Force transport aircraft Atlas ZM417 lands at the Trivandrum International Airport, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, Sunday, July 6, 2025. File Photo/PTI The UK Ministry of Defence said they had deployed a team of 14 engineers 'to Thiruvananthapuram airport to assess and repair the F-35B aircraft'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The British Royal Navy's F-35B was later towed to Air India's maintenance hangar at the airport following the arrival of the team of experts from the UK. The team worked under intense security and secrecy, operating in a restricted zone of the hangar, Mathrubhumi reported. The repair operations have been kept under wraps, with British military officials providing protection to the jet. As per The Hindu report, the auxiliary power unit of the combat aircraft developed some major snags, which needed services of an expert team. The maintenance work on the grounded British fighter jet was finished last week. There were speculations that if the expert team from the UK failed to repair the aircraft, it would be dismantled and flown out in a bigger cargo plane such as a C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft. The F-35B will now depart Kerala on July 22. However, the exact time of its departure is 'yet to be communicated, which airport will be used for refuelling on the way to London or when the backup aircraft will arrive to transport the technicians and equipment back,' an airport official told the BBC. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD #WATCH | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: Latest visuals of the British Navy's F-35 fighter jet, which made an emergency landing at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on June 14. It is likely to fly back soon. Official confirmation is awaited. A technical team of the UK… — ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2025 Parking the British jet in India for over a month cost… The UK authorities will have to pay a hefty sum in parking fees for the aircraft for each day it was stationed at the Thiruvananthapuram airport since June 14. The fee for using the hangar facility since July 6 will be charged by AI Engineering Services Ltd, which owns the hangar and provides the maintenance, repairs, and overhaul facility, reported The Hindu. According to the Indian Defence Research Wing (IDRW), the British fighter jet F-35B has reportedly incurred daily parking charges of Rs 26,261. This amounts to about Rs 9.19 lakh for over 35 days. With inputs from agencies
