UK Royal Air Force Engineers Repair Stranded F-35 Jet In Kerala, Official Shares Photos
The British F-35 fighter jet, stranded in Kerala for 22 days since making an emergency landing last month, was moved from its grounded position to the hangar on Sunday.
A 24-person team of British Royal Air Force arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday to inspect and assess the British F-35B fighter jet that remained grounded for three weeks following an emergency landing last month.
The team consisting of 14 technical experts and 10 crew members, aboard British Royal Air Force Airbus A400M Atlas arrived at Thiruvananthapuram airport yesterday. It will assess the condition of the stranded jet to determine whether it can be repaired locally or needs to be dismantled and transported back to the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, the stranded jet was moved from its grounded position to the hangar on Sunday.
The office of UK Defence in India shared the update on the repair works of the stranded jet saying the team of UK engineers is working on the repair works of the F-35B jet.
'A team of UK engineers has arrived in India to commence repairs on the UK F35B aircraft. Repairs are underway on the aircraft, which has now been moved to the maintenance hangar. We are grateful for the continued support and collaboration of the Indian authorities," it said in a post on X.
UPDATE: A team of UK engineers has arrived in India to commence repairs on the UK F35B aircraft. Repairs are underway on the aircraft, which has now been moved to the maintenance hangar. We are grateful for the continued support and collaboration of the Indian authorities. 🇬🇧🤝🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/WD0pmkiLNH — UK Defence in India🇬🇧🇮🇳 (@UKDefenceIndia) July 7, 2025
The jet, worth over $110 million, is one of the most advanced fighter planes in the world. The aircraft was conducting operations 100 nautical miles off the coast of Kerala when it made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport on June 14 due to a technical problem.
The F-35B jet, owned by Britain's Royal Navy, might need to be dismantled for transport or flown out in one piece using a large special aircraft like the C-17 Globemaster.
The Indian Air Force extended all possible support for rectifying the issue and ensuring its return. However, when the fighter jet was preparing to return to its carrier, a hydraulic failure was detected during pre-departure checks. A small Royal Navy team attempted to repair the malfunction but was unsuccessful.
The F-35B is the only fifth-generation fighter jet with short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capabilities, making it suitable for small decks, austere bases, and ships.
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