A 14-member team of engineers from the United Kingdom has arrived in India to assess and repair a British F-35B fighter jet that has remained grounded at Thiruvananthapuram airport for more than three weeks.
The cutting-edge stealth aircraft was diverted to the airport on June 14 after encountering bad weather during a sortie over the Indian Ocean. Shortly after landing, the jet developed a technical snag and was unable to return to the HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier.
The jet’s extended stay in India has attracted public curiosity and prompted questions about the operational resilience of one of the world’s most advanced fighter aircraft.
A statement issued by the British high commission on Sunday said the engineering team had been “deployed to Thiruvananthapuram airport to assess and repair the F-35B aircraft” and that they were carrying “specialist equipment necessary for the movement and repair process.”
The F-35B was later towed to the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility on site. The high commission said it had accepted India’s offer to move the jet to the hangar while awaiting equipment flown in from the UK.
Engineers from HMS Prince of Wales had earlier attempted to fix the jet but were unsuccessful.
Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the F-35B is a fifth-generation stealth aircraft known for its short take-off and vertical landing capability. The jet, which costs around Rs 900 crore is currently being guarded round the clock by six Royal Air Force personnel.
The case of the stranded jet has triggered a wave of jokes and memes online. Images of the jet parked alone on the rain-soaked tarmac have inspired speculation that it is reluctant to leave Kerala, a state often referred to in tourism campaigns as “God’s own country”.
Defence analysts say that if the aircraft cannot be restored to flying condition, it may have to be dismantled and flown out in a larger transport aircraft, such as a C-17 Globemaster.