The British Royal Navy’s F-35B Lightning II Stealth Fighter Jet, which was stalled due to technical fault at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala since 14 June 2025, is now ready to fly on July 22 after repair. This state -of -the -art jet worth $ 110 million, which was part of the HMS Prince of Wales Career Strike Group, was forced to make emergency landing due to bad weather and low fuel during Indian sea practice. The Indian Air Force (IAF) allowed landing and provided all possible assistance including refueling. However, hydraulic malfunction was detected during the pre-departure examination, due to which the jet could not fly.
On July 6, the team of the 24 -member British Royal Air Force, including 14 technical experts, reached the Airbus A400M Atlas aircraft with special equipment in Thiruvananthapuram. Jet was taken to Air India’s maintenance, repair and overhall (MRO) hangar, where repair work began. Initially, the British Navy rejected India’s proposal to take it to the hangar due to the safety of confidential techniques, but later agreed. The British High Commission said, “We are grateful to the cooperation of Indian authorities and IAF. The repair work is fast, and Jet is now ready for flight.” When the repair failed, Jet was planned to be taken to the UK by large cargo aircraft like C-17 Globmaster, but it was not necessary.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) provided 24 -hour security to Jet at Thiruvananthapuram Airport. The airport recovered parking fees of Rs 26,261 per day, which increased to about Rs 9.7 lakh in 37 days. The incident created a stir on social media, where Kerala Tourism shared the AI-generated picture in a funny manner, showing Jet among coconut trees, described as “a place that does not feel like leaving”. The matter also arose in the UK Parliament, where MP Ben Obese-Jacky questioned Jet’s safety and technical secrecy.
The incident reflects India-UK defense cooperation, appreciating the IAF’s quick response and coordination. F-35B, which is the only fifth generation jet with short takeoff and vertical landing (Stovl) capacity, is now ready to return to its career.
