U.K.'s F-35B fighter remains grounded at Thiruvananthapuram airport
The reason for emergency landing was initially attributed to low fuel as the fighter could not land on the U.K. aircraft carrier deployed at the sea after its routine sortie due to bad weather conditions prevailing in the Arabian Sea. However, according to sources, the jet had developed technical glitch.
The aircraft has been parked at an isolated bay near the domestic terminal since Friday night. The pilot of the jet, who is being replaced by the Royal Navy as his duty time ends, was reportedly reluctant to stay away from the aircraft. The airport authorities then arranged a facility for him at the airside of the airport from where he could watch the aircraft throughout the day.
A four-member crew deployed by the Royal Navy has been attending to the fifth-generation stealth fighter, which is known for short take-off and vertical landing capabilities. In a post on X on Sunday night, the Indian Air Force said 'the Royal Navy F-35B fighter recovered off an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on the night of 14 June'.
Operating from the U.K. aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, it was undertaking routine flying outside the Indian ADIZ (Air Defence Identification Zone), with Thiruvananthapuram earmarked as the emergency recovery airfield. On having declared a diversion off an emergency, the F-35B was detected and identified by the IAF's IACCS (Integrated Air Command and Control System) network and cleared for the recovery. IAF is providing all necessary support for the rectification and subsequent return of the aircraft, said the post.
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