An engineering team from the United Kingdom landed in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday to examine a British F-35B fighter jet that has remained grounded at the city’s international airport for over three weeks.
The £85-million aircraft made an emergency landing on June 14 after encountering low fuel and poor weather during a routine mission.
The team, made up of 21 personnel including engineers, arrived around 12:45 p.m. in a Royal Air Force Airbus A400M. Within hours, the aircraft was towed from the tarmac into a hangar for assessment.
Jet Sidelined Since Mid-June
The stealth fighter, part of the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group aboard HMS Prince of Wales, had just wrapped up joint maritime exercises with the Indian Navy.
It landed late at night, assisted by the Indian Air Force. The aircraft was quickly moved to a bay normally used for VIPs and placed under security by the Central Industrial Security Force.
British technicians aboard the Prince of Wales tried to fix the jet, but the repairs didn’t work. A technical fault after landing left it unsafe to return to the carrier.
Coordinated Repair Operation Underway
“A UK engineering team has deployed to Thiruvananthapuram international airport to assess and repair the UK F-35B aircraft, which landed following an emergency diversion,” a spokesperson for the British High Commission confirmed.
The UK has agreed to use India’s Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at the airport. Discussions are ongoing between both sides to finalize operational details.
Should repairs fail, parts of the jet might be dismantled and flown home on a C-17. Officials say it would be done quietly, given the classified nature of the aircraft.
Military Cooperation in Focus
The incident has put a spotlight on India’s role. The Indian Air Force offered support with logistics and refueling after the jet touched down.
A prior statement from the British High Commission thanked India for its cooperation.
“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,” it said.
Work on the aircraft will continue in the coming days. No decision has been made yet on whether it will return to service in India or be removed entirely.
