UK expert team arrives in Kerala to repair grounded British F-35B fighter jet
The expert team, comprising 21 members including aviation engineers, landed at the airport around 1 pm in the Royal Air Force ZM417 aircraft, a type of Airbus A400M Atlas. 'The aircraft, after dropping the expert team, is expected to fly back from the airport around 4 p.m. today,' the official said.
According to sources, the expert team will inspect the advanced stealth F-35B jet, belonging to the Royal Navy, and attempt to repair it and make it air-borne again. In case of failure to do so, British authorities are expected to partially dismantle the jet, under extreme secrecy, and airlift it—possibly in a C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft.
The fighter jet made an emergency landing on the night of June 14 at Thiruvananthapuram Airport after reporting low fuel and adverse weather conditions during a routine sortie. The jet reportedly took off from the HMS Prince of Wales, the UK Royal Navy's flagship aircraft carrier. The Prince of Wales is part of the UK's Carrier Strike Group, currently operating in the Indo-Pacific, which recently conducted a maritime exercise with the Indian Navy.
Also Read: British fighter jet makes emergency landing in Thiruvananthapuram
Upon landing, the fighter jet developed an engineering issue, preventing its return to the aircraft carrier. Engineers from the Prince of Wales inspected the aircraft and concluded that the support of a UK-based engineering team was needed.
'To minimise disruptions to regular airport operations, the aircraft will be moved to a space in the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility hangar once specialist equipment and UK engineering teams arrive,' said a statement issued by the British High Commission in India earlier.
Also Read: How UK's F-35 fighter jet, grounded in Kerala for 20 days, will be dismantled
'The safe landing, logistics and continuing security and organisational support provided by India in responding to this situation further demonstrates the close coordination and deepening relationship that exists between the Armed Forces of the UK and India,' it further read.
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First Post
8 hours ago
- First Post
UK says 'grateful' to India as its engineers begin repair of stranded F-35B fighter jet in Kerala
The British Navy's fifth-generation fighter landed in Thiruvananthapuram after being unable to return to the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, which was operating in the Indian Ocean Region read more The British Royal Navy's F-35B fighter jet has begun repairs after being brought into a hangar at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, nearly three weeks after making an emergency landing due to bad weather during a sortie over the Indian Ocean, according to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). A team of experts from the United Kingdom came in India on the British Royal Air Force's (RAF) Airbus A400M Atlas to repair the plane, which had been grounded at the airport since June 14. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'UPDATE: A team of UK engineers has arrived in India to commence repairs on the UK F-35 B 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,' the UK MoD said in its statement. The British Navy's fifth-generation fighter landed in Thiruvananthapuram after being unable to return to the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, which was operating in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The aircraft made an emergency landing after encountering poor weather during a normal sortie outside Indian airspace. The Indian Air Force (IAF) later verified that Thiruvananthapuram had been designated as an emergency recovery airport in such cases. In a post on X, the IAF said, 'A Royal Navy F-35B fighter recovered off an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on the night of 14 June 25. Operating from UK Aircraft Carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, it was undertaking routine flying outside Indian ADIZ with Thiruvananthapuram earmarked as the emergency recovery airfield.' It further added, 'On having declared a diversion off an emergency, the F-35 B was detected and identified by the IAF's IACCS network and cleared for the recovery. IAF is providing all necessary support for the rectification and subsequent return of the aircraft.' After the emergency landing, engineers from HMS Prince of Wales attempted to repair the aircraft but were unsuccessful. Defence sources later confirmed that the aircraft had developed a hydraulic failure while attempting to leave after refuelling. Following this, a specialised team of 25 technical experts from the British Royal Air Force was dispatched to India to assess and carry out necessary repairs. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The team arrived in Thiruvananthapuram aboard a British RAF Airbus A400M Atlas military aircraft with specialised equipment. The Lightning 2 jet was then moved to the Air India Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hangar on Sunday. Earlier, the UK government had said, 'The UK has accepted the offer of a space in the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, and is in discussions to finalise arrangements with relevant authorities. In line with standard procedure, the aircraft will be moved following the arrival of UK engineers, who are carrying specialist equipment necessary for the movement and repair process.' The British High Commission also thanked India for its support. 'We are working to repair the UK F-35B at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport as quickly as possible. We thank the Indian Authorities for their continued support,' a spokesperson said. 'The UK remains very grateful for the continued support and collaboration of the Indian authorities and airport teams,' the statement added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The advanced stealth fighter jet produced by American aerospace giant Lockheed Martin has drawn significant public attention and has even inspired quirky local marketing campaigns in the state of Kerala. The aircraft is currently under round-the-clock guard by personnel from India's Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and British personnel. If the repairs cannot be completed on-site, the Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL)-capable aircraft may be dismantled and transported back to the UK using a military transport aircraft.
News18
9 hours ago
- News18
UK's F-35B Stranded In Kerala: A Comedy Of Errors And Espionage Fears
Last Updated: The hilarious saga of a UK F-35B stranded in Kerala, sparking espionage fears and diplomatic farce On 14 June, a British Royal Navy F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet, valued at a cool £85 million, made an unscheduled pit stop at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala, India, after a spot of bother with bad weather and low fuel. Fast forward three weeks, and the jet is still there, grounded by a pesky hydraulic failure, with the UK now planning to airlift it back home using a C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft. What began as a routine emergency landing has spiralled into a farcical saga, complete with whispers of espionage, monsoon-soaked tarmacs and a peculiar British reluctance to accept Indian hospitality. The tale is a masterclass in how to turn a minor mishap into a global spectacle. Social media has been abuzz with memes, including a satirical listing of the jet for sale on OLX for a bargain £3.2 million, boasting 'new tyres" and an 'automatic gun to destroy traffic violators". As the UK scrambles to retrieve its prized aircraft, the episode has become a delightful blend of technical woes, diplomatic dance, and unfounded fears about India pinching the F-35's cutting-edge tech. A monsoon-drenched drama unfolds The F-35B, part of the HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, was merrily conducting joint exercises with the Indian Navy when it hit a snag on 14 June. Adverse weather and dwindling fuel forced the pilot, Captain Mike (whose full name no media house has disclosed), to issue a distress signal, landing safely at Thiruvananthapuram, a civilian airport not exactly equipped for fifth-generation stealth fighters. Still, the Indian Air Force, ever the gracious host, coordinated the landing and offered refuelling and logistical support. But then came the twist—a hydraulic failure, critical for the jet's short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capabilities, left it stranded. Initial repair attempts by a small Royal Navy team, airlifted by an AW101 Merlin helicopter, flopped spectacularly. For nearly two weeks, the jet sat on Bay 4 of the airport's general aviation terminal, guarded by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and drenched by Kerala's monsoon rains. The British, wary of their jet's stealth secrets, declined India's offer to move it to Air India's Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) hangar. This decision sparked a flurry of speculation, with some on X suggesting India might be itching to reverse-engineer the jet's radar-evading tech. The reality? India, which doesn't operate F-35s and uses Russia's S-400 air defence system, probably has better things to do than play spy with a soggy fighter jet. And are we that good at reverse engineering? You never know! India today exports the second-highest number of geeks to the technologically advanced West after China. But leave our know-how aside. Chuckle at NATO's paranoia! Espionage fears and a hangar snub The UK's refusal to park the F-35B in a hangar wasn't merely about weathering the monsoon; it was a calculated move to keep prying eyes at bay. The jet, bristling with advanced sensors and stealth coatings, is a technological marvel—forget, for a while, the issues with the F-35, which, among other reasons, dissuaded India from importing it from the US—and the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) wasn't keen on letting it out of sight. The Royal Navy feared 'third parties" might glimpse its 'protected technologies", despite India's assurances of tight security. The 'Indophobia' reached comical heights when posts on X claimed India had 'jammed" the jet and set 12 conditions, including a demand that Indian engineers be present during repairs. Such rumours, entirely unverified, painted a picture of a Bollywood-style standoff, with the Indian Sukhoi Su-30 MKI supposedly intercepting the jet mid-air. In truth, the IAF's Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) simply guided the distressed F-35B to safety, and the UK expressed gratitude for the support. The hangar snub also meant the jet endured Kerala's torrential rains, prompting Kerala Tourism to cheekily post on X that even the F-35B couldn't resist the state's charm, dubbing it 'God's Own Country". After two weeks of stubbornness, the UK relented on 27 June, agreeing to move the jet to the MRO facility once a 40-member team with a special tow vehicle arrived. By then, the jet had become a local celebrity, with memes joking that it deserved Indian citizenship or that the UK should pay rent in the form of the Kohinoor diamond. The great airlift and a rejection of Indian expertise With repairs proving futile, the UK threw in the towel and opted for a dramatic exit strategy: dismantling the F-35B and airlifting it via a C-17 Globemaster, a beast capable of carrying 77.5 tons. This decision followed multiple failed attempts by Royal Navy technicians and a 30-member team, including Lockheed Martin experts, to fix the hydraulic issue. The operation, set to involve a 40-member crew arriving on 5 July, underscores the complexity of handling an £85-million asset in a foreign land. Curiously, the UK also rejected proposals to involve Indian engineers in the repair process, despite India's growing aerospace expertise. This rebuff, coupled with the hangar refusal, fuelled wild speculation about distrust, with some X posts suggesting India might nick the jet's tech for its own fifth-generation fighter programme. In reality, India's offer to assist was likely a gesture of goodwill, not a covert bid to crack open the F-35's secrets. The airlift plan is no small feat. The F-35B's 10.7 m wingspan exceeds the C-17's cargo door width, meaning the wings must be carefully removed—a process previously executed for a damaged South Korean F-35 in 2024. The UK's decision to airlift rather than repair on-site highlights the jet's sensitive systems and the MoD's determination to keep them under wraps. Meanwhile, Thiruvananthapuram airport authorities have confirmed that the UK will foot a yet-to-be-determined 'parking fee" for the jet's extended stay, adding a final comedic touch to this diplomatic debacle. top videos View all As the F-35B saga draws to a close, it leaves behind a trail of memes, diplomatic niceties and a lesson in how not to handle a grounded stealth jet. The British High Commission has repeatedly thanked India for its 'first-class support", yet the episode has dented the F-35 programme's image, already under scrutiny for its high maintenance costs, as noted in a 2024 US Department of Defense report. For now, the jet's Kerala holiday is set to end with a costly airlift, proving that even the world's most advanced fighter can't escape the chaos of a good old British cock-up. First Published: News opinion Opinion | UK's F-35B Stranded In Kerala: A Comedy Of Errors And Espionage Fears
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
British F-35B jet under repair in Thiruvananthapuram, UK ‘grateful' to India for support and collaboration
The repair work of the British Royal Navy's F-35B fighter jet has started after it was brought into a hangar at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, nearly three weeks after it made an emergency landing due to bad weather during a sortie over the Indian Ocean, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed. After the emergency landing, engineers from HMS Prince of Wales attempted to repair the F-35B jet but were unsuccessful.(@CISFHQrs) A team of engineers from the United Kingdom, onboard the British Royal Air Force's (RAF) Airbus A400M Atlas, has arrived in India to carry out the repairs on the jet, which has been grounded at the airport since June 14. "UPDATE: A team of UK engineers has arrived in India to commence repairs on the UK F-35 B 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," the UK MoD said in its statement. The fifth-generation jet, operated by the British Navy, had landed in Thiruvananthapuram after being unable to return to the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, which was operating in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The aircraft encountered bad weather while on a routine sortie outside Indian airspace and made an emergency landing. The Indian Air Force (IAF) later confirmed that Thiruvananthapuram had been designated as the emergency recovery airfield for such situations. In a post on X, the IAF said, "A Royal Navy F-35B fighter recovered off an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on the night of 14 June 25. Operating from UK Aircraft Carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, it was undertaking routine flying outside Indian ADIZ with Thiruvananthapuram earmarked as the emergency recovery airfield." It further added, "On having declared a diversion off an emergency, the F-35 B was detected and identified by the IAF's IACCS network and cleared for the recovery. IAF is providing all necessary support for the rectification and subsequent return of the aircraft." After the emergency landing, engineers from HMS Prince of Wales attempted to repair the aircraft but were unsuccessful. Defence sources later confirmed that the aircraft had developed a hydraulic failure while attempting to leave after refuelling. Following this, a specialised team of 25 technical experts from the British Royal Air Force was dispatched to India to assess and carry out necessary repairs. The team arrived in Thiruvananthapuram aboard a British RAF Airbus A400M Atlas military aircraft with specialised equipment. The Lightning 2 jet was then moved to the Air India Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hangar on Sunday. Earlier, the UK government had said, "The UK has accepted the offer of a space in the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, and is in discussions to finalise arrangements with relevant authorities. In line with standard procedure, the aircraft will be moved following the arrival of UK engineers, who are carrying specialist equipment necessary for the movement and repair process." The British High Commission also thanked India for its support. "We are working to repair the UK F-35B at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport as quickly as possible. We thank the Indian Authorities for their continued support," a spokesperson said. "The UK remains very grateful for the continued support and collaboration of the Indian authorities and airport teams," the statement added. The advanced stealth fighter jet produced by American aerospace giant Lockheed Martin has drawn significant public attention and has even inspired quirky local marketing campaigns in the state of Kerala. The aircraft is currently under round-the-clock guard by personnel from India's Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and British personnel. If the repairs cannot be completed on-site, the Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL)-capable aircraft may be dismantled and transported back to the UK using a military transport aircraft.
