Stranded British Stealth Fighter Jet Finally Departs After Month-Long Stay
A British F-35B stealth fighter, which made an emergency landing in Thiruvananthapuram on June 14, finally departed after a month-long stay for repairs. The advanced jet was grounded due to a hydraulic system failure, requiring a 14-member UK engineering team to be flown in. The unusual, extended layover caught the public's imagination, inspiring a witty social media ad from Kerala Tourism that featured the jet and quipped, "Kerala is such an amazing place, I don't want to leave."
Unpacked:
The F-35B was en route from the UK to Australia as part of the UK's HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, which was operating in the Indo-Pacific and had recently held joint maritime exercises with the Indian Navy.
The Indian Air Force coordinated with the jet via its Integrated Air Command and Control System, granted emergency landing permission, and transferred guidance to Thiruvananthapuram Air Traffic Control. The landing and subsequent stay saw smooth cooperation between Indian and British authorities.
The F-35B suffered a hydraulic system failure, which kept it grounded. Repairs required a UK engineering team to be flown in, and after nearly a month of technical assessment and fixes, the fault was rectified, allowing the jet to depart.
Yes, the jet was kept under surveillance by Indian military personnel, and, for security reasons, was parked in the open rather than inside hangars. It remained armed with an ASRAAM missile throughout its stay.