Latest news with #HMSPrinceofWales
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Stranded fighter jet departs after repairs and social media fame
Off air: The stealth fighter was grounded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala due to technical snags. — AP A British F-35B fighter jet stranded at an Indian airport for more than a month, sparking memes and cartoons on social media, took off after being repaired by a team of UK engineers, an Indian official said. The stealth fighter, one of the world's most advanced and costing around US$115mil, was grounded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in the southern state of Kerala due to technical snags. The aircraft had hydraulic issues and problems with its auxiliary power unit that have been fixed, said the Thiruvananthapuram official, who wasn't authorised to speak with the media and requested anonymity. The jet was on a regular sortie in the Arabian Sea in June when it ran into bad weather and couldn't return to the Royal Navy's flagship aircraft carrier, the HMS Prince of Wales. The aircraft diverted to Thiruvananthapuram and landed safely on June 14. The stranded military aircraft, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, triggered AI-generated memes in India. A Kerala tourism department social media post showed the plane on the tarmac surrounded by coconut trees with a fictitious five-star review: 'Kerala is such an amazing place, I don't want to leave. Definitely recommend.' The top official at the tourism department, K. Biju, said the post was in 'good humour'. 'It was our way to appreciate and thank the Brits who are the biggest inbound visitors to Kerala for tourism,' Biju said. Another cartoon posted on X showed the plane enjoying snacks with a group of locals against a scenic background. There was speculation in India that the aircraft could be partially dismantled and transported in a cargo plane if repairs were unsuccessful. The UK Ministry of Defence dismissed the speculation in a statement. — AP
Time of India
2 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
British F-35B jet departs Thiruvananthapuram after month-long ‘stay'
Thiruvananthapuram : The British F-35B fighter jet, which had sparked countless memes after being grounded at the city airport for more than a month, finally departed on Tuesday morning. The state-of-the-art jet took off around 10am and is en route to Darwin, Australia. In a statement, a British high commission spokesperson said: "A UK F-35B aircraft, which landed following an emergency diversion on June 14, departed today from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. A UK engineering team, deployed since July 6, completed the repairs and safety checks, allowing the aircraft to resume active service. The UK remains very grateful for the support and collaboration of the Indian authorities and airport teams throughout the repair and recovery process. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our defence partnership with India." The British Royal Navy F-35B is part of the UK's advanced stealth fleet — one of the most sophisticated fighter aircraft in the world, valued at over $110 million. The aircraft, which had taken off from HMS Prince of Wales on June 14, was unable to return to the carrier due to adverse weather conditions. Prioritising safety, it diverted to Thiruvananthapuram airport, where it landed safely. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Plymouth: If You Were Born Between 1940-1975 You Could Be Eligible For This Life Cover Reassured Get Quote Undo While on the ground, the jet developed an engineering fault, delaying its return to the Carrier Strike Group led by HMS Prince of Wales. Engineers from the carrier assessed the situation and it was decided specialist support from a UK-based team was required. The UK accepted India's offer to move the jet to the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at the airport. To avoid disrupting regular operations, the move was carried out after the UK engineering team arrived with specialist equipment. After nearly a week of work, the technical team repaired the aircraft, rectified a hydraulic fault and successfully conducted a trial flight. Following a successful trial flight, the aircraft departed.
West Australian
9 hours ago
- Business
- West Australian
UK shows off military might as Carrier Strike Group arrives in Darwin
The UK's Carrier Strike Group has arrived in Darwin as it undergoes an eight-month deployment to showcase its commitment to the security of the Indo-Pacific. Ahead of the fleet's arrival Britain's new High Commissioner Dame Sarah MacIntosh talked up the UK-Australia partnership as an 'anchor relationship in a dangerous world'. The prosperity and stability of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions were 'indivisible,' she said. 'We are in an era of radical uncertainty, to be navigated with agility, speed and clarity.' Operation Highmast, led by Royal Navy flagship HMS Prince of Wales, embarked on its mission to the Pacific and Australia in late April as a signal of the British Government's intent to maintain a presence in the Indo-Pacific despite the war in Ukraine on Europe's doorstep. The international Task Group is made up of five core ships, 24 F-35 fighter jets, and 17 helicopters, centred around the UK's flagship aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. Its deployment follows a British Government commitment to hike defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027, raising it well above Australia's projected target of 2.33 per cent by 2033. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer went even further in June, pledging to boost Britain's overall defence and security spending to five per cent of economic output by 2035 to meet a NATO target – the highest level since the Cold War. Australia's Government has so far refused to follow its UK ally to lift its spending any higher, deferring to a defence review next year and a 'needs-based' approach despite pressure from the Trump administration to pour 3.5 per cent of GDP into defence spending. The participation of the UK's Carrier Strike Group in Australia's multinational exercise Talisman Sabre comes alongside Britain's renewed commitment to the $368 billion trilateral AUKUS program to provide nuclear-powered submarines to Australia. British AUKUS envoy Sir Stephen Lovegrove told the Australian Strategic Policy Institute earlier this month that London viewed AUKUS as a 'momentous collaboration' between three allies, playing down fears about an ongoing Pentagon review of the landmark project. More than 3,000 UK personnel are taking part in Talisman Sabre, the largest military exercise Australia has ever hosted, with the participation of 19 countries in total, including the United States. The UK contingent includes British Army and Royal Air Force units in drills to build towards 'full operational capability' of the UK's carrier strike group, said a statement from the High Commission. It said the deployment demonstrated British commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific at a time when trade between the UK and the region accounted for 17 per cent of total UK trade in the 12 months to September 2024. ' The visit demonstrates how the UK is delivering on our Strategic Defence Review commitments to the Indo-Pacific,' said Dame Sarah MacIntosh. 'It's about turning policy into action, together with our allies and partners here in Australia.'
India Today
10 hours ago
- General
- India Today
India's 'guest' departs: Stranded British F-35 jet flies out of Kerala
A British F-35B fighter jet has departed from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala after being stranded for approximately 38 days. The fifth-generation stealth jet, operating from the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, made an emergency landing on June 14th due to bad weather and a subsequent hydraulic failure. British engineers, with the support of an Indian technician team and the Indian Air Force, worked to repair the aircraft. The British High Commission extended its thanks to India for the support from the Indian Air Force and airport officials. The prolonged stay of the advanced fighter jet generated significant public curiosity and became the subject of social media memes, with the hospitality shown being likened to India's principle of "Atiti Devo Bhava," meaning 'the guest is God'.
North Wales Chronicle
12 hours ago
- General
- North Wales Chronicle
British jet stranded after technical issues finally leaves Indian airport
The stealth fighter, one of the world's most advanced and costing about £85 million, was grounded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in the southern state of Kerala due to technical snags. The aircraft had hydraulic issues and problems with its auxiliary power unit that have been fixed, said the Thiruvananthapuram official, who was not authorised to speak with the media and requested anonymity. The aircraft will fly to a British aircraft carrier in Darwin, Australia, the official said. The British High Commission and UK's Ministry of Defence did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The jet was on a regular sortie in the Arabian Sea in June when it ran into bad weather and could not return to the Royal Navy's flagship aircraft carrier, the HMS Prince of Wales. The aircraft diverted to Thiruvananthapuram and landed safely June 14. The stranded military aircraft, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, triggered AI-generated memes in India. A Kerala tourism department social media post showed the plane on the tarmac surrounded by coconut trees with a fictitious five-star review: 'Kerala is such an amazing place, I don't want to leave. Definitely recommend.' The top official at the tourism department, K Biju, said the post was in 'good humour'. 'It was our way to appreciate and thank the Brits who are the biggest inbound visitors to Kerala for tourism,' Mr Biju said. Another cartoon posted on X showed the plane enjoying snacks with a group of locals against a scenic background. There was speculation in India that the aircraft could be partially dismantled and transported in a cargo plane if repairs were unsuccessful. The UK Ministry of Defence dismissed the speculation in a statement.
