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India.com
a day ago
- General
- India.com
UK F-35B awaits repairs at Thiruvananthapuram airport after engineering issue, says British High Commission
The CISF is guarding the stranded British F-35B fighter jet. (Image: CISF/PTI) Thiruvananthapuram: A UK F-35B aircraft is currently awaiting repairs at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport after experiencing an engineering issue, a British High Commission spokesperson confirmed. 'A UK F-35B aircraft is awaiting repairs at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport after developing an engineering issue. The UK has accepted an offer to move the aircraft to the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul facility at the airport. The aircraft will be moved to the hangar once UK engineering teams arrive with specialist equipment, thereby ensuring there is minimal disruption to scheduled maintenance of other aircraft,' the spokesperson said. The aircraft is expected to return to active service after the necessary repairs and safety checks are completed. In a statement, the British High Commission added, 'Ground teams continue to work closely with Indian authorities to ensure safety and security precautions are observed. We thank the Indian authorities and Thiruvananthapuram International Airport for their continued support.' British authorities on Thursday expressed gratitude to India following the emergency landing of the British F-35B fighter jet at Thiruvananthapuram airport nearly a fortnight ago. '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,' the spokesperson said. The UK aircraft was unable to return to UK Aircraft Carrier HMS Prince of Wales due to adverse weather conditions. Prioritising safety, the aircraft diverted to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in India, where it landed safely. While on the ground, the aircraft developed an engineering issue that precluded its return to the Carrier. Engineers from HMS Prince of Wales assessed the situation and determined that assistance from a UK-based engineering team was required. According to the UK High Commission, the aircraft will be relocated to a space in the maintenance repair and overhaul facility hangar once the necessary equipment and personnel arrive. Throughout this diversion incident, the UK has worked in close coordination with Indian authorities. 'Throughout this diversion incident, we have worked closely with all Indian authorities, including the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy and Thiruvananthapuram International Airport and are extremely grateful for their support,' the High Commission said. The statement further highlighted the continued security and organisational support provided by India, underlining the growing cooperation and strong relationship between the armed forces of both nations. Earlier, the Indian Air Force (IAF) confirmed that a British Royal Navy F-35B fighter jet made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport on the night of June 14. In a post on X, the IAF stated, '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.' 'On having declared a diversion off an emergency, the F-35B 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,' the IAF added.
The Independent
a day ago
- General
- The Independent
Britain's stranded F-35 fighter jet is a test of its trust in India
As the HMS Prince of Wales and the rest of its carrier strike group docked in Singapore on Thursday, analysts noted that it arrived with an odd number of 11 F-35B fighter jets on its flight deck. That's because one was missing: F-35B Lightning number 034 that has been stranded for almost two weeks now at an airport in southern India. The state-of-the-art stealth fighter got caught out by bad weather during a sortie in the Indian ocean and requested an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, where it has been stuck ever since due to an engineering issue. Built by the American aerospace giant Lockheed Martin, the F-35B Lightning is one of the most advanced fighters on the planet, and is brimming with technology that India does not – yet – have access to. British officials told The Independent they have no concerns about espionage and are grateful to their Indian allies for keeping the jet safe while it awaits essential repairs by a specialist team due to be flown out from the UK. But analysts say that with each passing day that the jet sits disabled on foreign soil questions over what has gone wrong, and whether any third party might try to access the aircraft, will only grow louder. Photos shared on social media have shown the lone fighter jet stationed on the tarmac with personnel from India's Central Industrial Security Force – a branch of the military tasked with guarding key infrastructure – guarding the jet round the clock, which is sitting parked in the open amid monsoon rains near the domestic terminal. 'Surprised that a team of flight mechanics with spare parts hasn't been flown in to fix it. Must be a bigger problem than we thought,' said Nicholas Drummond, former British Army officer and defence industry analyst, reacting to a photo of the fighter jet parked at the Indian airport, reading '034 he so lonely'. A Royal Navy spokesperson rejected Indian media reports that suggested the jet had not been moved to a closed hangar because Britain does not trust India to keep it safe and untampered-with. They suggested this would have been done already had the necessary equipment and expertise been on hand. 'To minimise disruptions to the 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,' a Royal Navy spokesperson told The Independent. The Independent has reached out to the Indian Air Force's Southern Air Command for a comment on the security measures being taken to guard the prestigious fighter plane. Mark Martin, an aviation expert, has said a warplane parked in the open cannot be tampered with, easing the security concerns around the stranded F-35B. 'The F-35B is in the public eye, most likely disabled from the inside and out in the open as the UK has their own satellites which help them in monitoring the aircraft through their satellites. So if anyone even comes near this, the UK will be the first to know,' he told The Independent. Mr Martin also noted the defence treaty that the UK has with India that means both countries are obligated to protect each other's assets in such circumstances. 'It's most likely that if the aircraft is disabled, the Royal Air Force may send over a C-17 Globemaster or a heavy lift transport aircraft, and the aircraft will be loaded and flown back,' he said. 'Because they can't repair it in this part of the world.' Dr Sameer Patil, director of the Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology at the Observer Research Foundation in Mumbai, said the biggest danger stemming from the episode would be how it is perceived – both by allies Britain and India and their adversaries. 'As the UK waits for a detailed inspection of its aircraft, the optics of a stranded jet on a close ally's soil are not looking good as it is giving way to rumours and speculations about Indians getting access to some of the classified technology – which is absolutely not true and not in the spirit of the UK-India strategic defence partnership,' he said. 'The thing I'm more worried about in the end will not be about the espionage or about dealing with the classified technology, but it will be about creating the risk and the distrust between the two partners which can be exploited by adversaries like China and Iran for their own advantage,' Dr Patil told The Independent. In a show of solidarity, the Royal Navy spokesperson thanked the Indian side for their logistical and security support. '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,' they said.
News18
a day ago
- News18
Delhi Airport Bomb Threat: Note On Tissue Paper Sparks Emergency, Later Declared Hoax
Last Updated: A message found on Vistara flight UK-2954 claimed that a bomb had been planted on flight UK-2948, located at Terminal-3 of Delhi Airport Panic gripped Terminal-3 of Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport early Thursday morning after a chilling bomb threat note was discovered inside a flight, triggering a full-scale emergency response from security agencies. The threat, scribbled on a piece of tissue paper, warned of an explosive device aboard a separate aircraft, setting off alarms across the country's busiest airport. According to officials, the scare began at 4:42 AM when a flight crew member aboard Vistara flight UK-2954, which had just landed from Mumbai, found the note during post-landing checks. The message claimed that a bomb had been planted on flight UK-2948, located at Terminal-3 of IGI Airport. The crew immediately alerted authorities, prompting swift action by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Delhi Fire Service, and other emergency units. Within minutes, the terminal was placed under heightened alert as security personnel cordoned off the area and initiated a coordinated search operation. Sniffer dogs, bomb detection squads, and fire safety officers swept through the premises, while passengers were held in controlled zones for safety. Though operations continued, the mood was tense throughout the hour-long drill. By around 6 AM, the Delhi Fire Service confirmed that no explosives were found and labeled the threat a 'hoax bomb threat". Flights were not significantly disrupted, and normalcy returned shortly afterward. However, the authorities are treating the incident with utmost seriousness. This kind of false alarm is no trivial matter. It diverts crucial security resources and creates unnecessary panic. We are investigating the origin of the message and will ensure strict legal action against whoever is responsible, said a senior CISF officer. Officials have launched a detailed enquiry into how the threatening note ended up on board and whether it was planted mid-air or earlier during ground operations. CCTV footage, baggage checks, and passenger interviews are reportedly underway to trace the source. The IGI Airport, recognised among Asia's top aviation hubs for its high passenger volume and international facilities, maintains tight security protocols year-round. However, this incident has once again exposed how even a single note can upend routine and trigger a serious security scare. First Published: June 27, 2025, 15:10 IST
India Today
a day ago
- Automotive
- India Today
Tow trolley, 40 staffers from UK as F-35 refuses to leave Kerala even after 13 days
Amid monsoon showers, shifting sun, and round-the-clock CISF watch, the British $110-million F-35 stealth fighter jet will complete a fortnight of being stranded on the tarmac of Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram airport on Friday. Multiple attempts have been made to get it back into the sky, but all in vain. Now with the aircraft nearing two weeks of being grounded in India, the Royal British Navy is making a renewed push to get it since June 14 reportedly due to a hydraulic snag, the F-35B will now be attended to by a special tow vehicle being flown in from the UK, along with a 40-member team of British engineers and specialists, all headed to Kerala to carry out reports reveal that the fighter jet will be fixed right here in India. And yes, Britain might have to pay parking charges for the jet's extended stay. On June 14, the F-35B Lightning II, part of the Royal British Navy's HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport after reporting low fuel levels, compounded by bad weather that prevented a return to the aircraft carrier stationed 100 nautical miles off Kerala's coast. The Indian Air Force (IAF) facilitated the safe landing, providing refuelling and logistical support, but a subsequent hydraulic failure kept the jet F-35B GROUNDED, BUT MEMES TAKE OFFadvertisementNow into its second week of being stranded, and even the subject of a mock social media post, the F-35B aircraft is finally seeing intensified efforts to fix it. Social media in India didn't take long to jump inJust within a week of the F-35's unscheduled stay kicking-off, memes started flying viral post, which was reported widely, listed the $110-million jet for sale on OLX for just $40 joked that the jet deserves Indian citizenship now. Some said that the British F-35B is lucky to be parked out in the open in Kerala. Anywhere else, and it might've been stolen by now, they REPAIR TEAM, TOW VEHICLE HEADED TO KERALAA 40-member UK team of specialists, equipped with a special tow vehicle, is on its way to Kerala to repair the jet in Air India's Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) hangar located in the Thiruvananthapuram airport, reported the Kerala-based English newspaper Onmanorama."The aircraft will be moved to a space in the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility hangar once specialist equipment and UK engineering teams arrive," a British High Commission spokesperson was quoted by The the decision to shift the jet to the hangar reverses the earlier reluctance of the British Navy due to concerns untold, but best Kerala Kaumudi report noted that the tow vehicle will ensure safe movement to the hangar, where repairs will proceed shielded from monsoon rains."The UK is working to repair the F-35B at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport as quickly as possible. We thank the Indian authorities for their continued support," the spokesperson of the British High Commission in India was quoted as saying by The NAVY'S FIRST REPAIR ATTEMPT HAD HIT A WALLInitially, the jet's emergency landing was attributed to low fuel and adverse weather during a routine flight as part of a maritime exercise. The Indian Air Force's Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) coordinated the landing at Thiruvananthapuram. After refuelling, a hydraulic system failure was detected, which is critical for the jet to operate, rendering it Royal Navy technicians from HMS Prince of Wales attempted repairs, but the issue persisted. The British F-35 B, now parked at Bay 4 under Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) protection, has been drawing the attention of many on social media, where a satirical post said it was up for sale on repair attempts involved a small team of Royal Navy technicians, who could not resolve the hydraulic issue. The Royal Navy declined initial offers to move the cutting-edge stealth jet to Air India's hangar. Now, with the bigger specialised UK team and a vehicle to tow it on the way, the focus is on in-situ airlifting the jet to the UK remains an option if the renewed repair efforts fail. In that situation, Thiruvananthapuram airport may well witness a Royal Air Force lifter, say, a Globemaster, in action.- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
CBI takes over Rs 60L CISF pension fraud case from Telangana police; ED also investigating money laundering angle
HYDERABAD: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), ACB, Hyderabad, has officially taken over the probe into siphoning of Rs 60 lakh from New Pension Scheme (NPS) accounts of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel. This follows a request from the Telangana director general of police and inspector general of CISF, National Industrial Security Academy (NISA), Hyderabad. The case was first registered at the Jawaharnagar police station under the Rachakonda police commissionerate on April 18, 2023, based on a complaint filed by CISF, NISA. The accused, Roop Singh Meena, then serving as head constable/clerk and now promoted to assistant sub-inspector at NISA, allegedly diverted NPS Tier-1 contributions into 72 dormant accounts. The misappropriated funds included contributions from both employees and the CDDO NISA, Hyderabad. In addition to the dormant accounts, funds were also traced to active NPS accounts of CISF personnel posted in Hyderabad and NTPC Dadri (Uttar Pradesh), according to CISF. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad With the Telangana govt issuing consent under the Section 6 of the DSPE Act on June 6, 2025, and the department of personnel & training following up with a notification under Section 5 on June 19, 2025, the case now falls under CBI's jurisdiction. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like (46만원 지원할인) 모발이식 500모 49.5만원 지원할인 모발이식 더 알아보기 Undo A parallel investigation is also underway by the Enforcement Directorate, which has booked Meena under money laundering charges linked to the same transactions. Further, the competent authority granted permission under the Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, enabling CBI to proceed against Meena, as per a letter dated January 31, 2025. CBI registered a fresh FIR citing offences under the Sections 409 (Criminal Breach of Trust) and 420 (Cheating) of the Indian Penal Code against Meena and others.
