A British Royal Navy F-35 fighter jet that made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport on June 15 remains grounded due to a suspected technical snag. The aircraft is believed to have developed a hydraulic fault mid-air, forcing the pilot to land at the nearest suitable airport.
The fighter jet is part of the UK Carrier Strike Group and was operating from the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, currently positioned about 100 nautical miles off the Kerala coast.
Soon after landing, the pilot—reportedly the only person aboard—was moved to apron control but requested to remain within sight of the jet. Airport officials allowed him to monitor the aircraft from a spot with clear visibility until Royal Navy technicians arrived via a British Navy MJS-101 helicopter from the carrier later that night.
CISF personnel have since been posted near the aircraft, with an armed guard watching over it. Food and temporary accommodation for the Navy crew were arranged by airport authorities
While official details remain under wraps, airport sources indicate that the jet suffered a fault in its hydraulic system. The F-35 Lightning II, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is among the most advanced stealth fighters currently in service across NATO forces. F-35s have been deployed by Israel in its ongoing war with Iran. There have been rumours that the Iranians have shot down three.
Flight radar data reveals that around 9 p.m. on June 15, the aircraft sent out a distress signal—SQUAWK 7700—while flying off the Kerala coast, indicating it required immediate air traffic control assistance.
Though neither country has confirmed it, defence sources believe the fighter was involved in a joint drill between the Indian Navy and the UK’s Carrier Strike Group (UK CSG25) in the western Arabian Sea earlier this week.
Radar records suggest the jet was last seen flying along the US west coast at 10 p.m. on June 13. What happened between then and the emergency landing in India is still unclear.
Royal Navy technicians have been working on the aircraft for the past two days, but its return to the skies remains delayed. The jet was reportedly ready to take off on June 18, but further issues seem to have cropped up.
As of now, there's no word on when the aircraft will leave Thiruvananthapuram. Officials are maintaining tight-lipped silence, possibly due to the sensitive nature of the aircraft and its operations in foreign airspace.