The British Royal Navy’s F-35B fighter jet, which made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala on June 14, is likely to be partially dismantled and transported back to the United Kingdom in a military cargo aircraft, according to a report by India Today.
The report said that despite multiple attempts to repair the fifth-generation stealth jet on site, the aircraft remains grounded due to an unresolved technical fault. Sources cited by India Today indicated that all efforts to restore the jet’s flight readiness have so far been unsuccessful.
The report also noted that no engineering team from the United Kingdom has arrived in India yet, although around 30 engineers were expected to land in Thiruvananthapuram to conduct the necessary repairs.
With no clear timeline for resolving the issue, British officials are now considering alternative plans to retrieve the aircraft. According to the report, partial dismantling of the jet has emerged as the most practical solution to enable its return by military transport.
The F-35B, which was part of the HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, was engaged in operations about 100 nautical miles off Kerala’s coast when it was forced to divert to Thiruvananthapuram due to bad weather and low fuel. The Indian Air Force facilitated the emergency landing and provided immediate logistical support.
However, during pre-departure checks ahead of the jet’s planned return to its carrier, a hydraulic failure was detected, this malfunction is considered serious as it could compromise the jet’s ability to take off and land safely.
A small Royal Navy team, including three technicians, attempted to address the issue but could not complete the repairs due to the complexity of the fault.
The fighter jet has been parked at Bay 4 of the airport and remains under the security of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). Initially, the Royal Navy had declined an offer from Air India to move the jet into a hangar despite the ongoing monsoon rains in Kerala, but later agreed to the relocation.
