A 14-person team of British engineers is working to repair a grounded F-35B fighter jet at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala, India, the BBC reported on 7/7. The team arrived with specialized equipment for the repair and potential transport of the aircraft.
The duration of the repairs remains unclear.
Indian media outlets released videos showing a British A400M transport aircraft carrying the engineers landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. Footage also showed the F-35B being towed into a hangar. The British High Commission in India previously stated that London had approved the request to move the aircraft to a maintenance area, but they were awaiting the arrival of specialized equipment from the UK.
The F-35B made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on the evening of 14/6, running low on fuel after diverting due to inclement weather during operations in the Indian Ocean. The British fighter jet subsequently experienced a technical malfunction, preventing its return to the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier.
Engineers from HMS Prince of Wales were dispatched to assess the aircraft but were unable to effect repairs, necessitating the arrival of technicians from the UK. During the waiting period, six British Air Force officers guarded the aircraft around the clock to prevent any potential technology leaks.
The situation has sparked curiosity and raised questions about why such an advanced fighter jet has been grounded for so long in a foreign country.
Images of the rain-soaked F-35 sitting on the tarmac have become the subject of memes, with many joking that the aircraft simply didn't want to leave the beautiful state of Kerala. Kerala's tourism department even capitalized on the incident, using the imagery in promotional materials, generating significant interest.
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The British F-35B fighter jet inside a hangar at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on 6/7. Photo: British Ministry of Defence |
Experts suggest that if the British engineers cannot repair the F-35B, they will have to disassemble it and transport it back to the UK via a C-17 strategic transport aircraft.
The F-35B is the short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variant, enabling it to operate from amphibious assault ships and aircraft carriers with ski-jump ramps.
The UK initially planned to purchase 150 F-35B fighter jets but later reduced the order to 138. The Royal Air Force has received 39 aircraft, one of which crashed in the Mediterranean Sea in 2021, apparently after the engine ingested a plastic rain cover, causing a loss of thrust during takeoff.
Pham Giang (According to BBC, ANI)
