The American-made F-35B stealth fighter jet, operated by the British Navy, remains stranded at Thiruvananthapuram airport following an emergency landing on June 15. Despite several attempts, engineers have so far failed to rectify a complex hydraulic system failure in one of the world’s most advanced and expensive fighter aircraft.
A 30-member team, including technical experts from the British Navy and the aircraft’s manufacturer Lockheed Martin, is expected to arrive shortly in Thiruvananthapuram to attempt repairs. However, if the fault proves too complex to fix on-site, there are contingency plans to airlift the fighter jet back using a specially equipped military cargo aircraft.
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By: Vishnu Aravind #US #British #F35 #Kerala #OLX #f35emergencylanding https://t.co/QAH3XkjJLy
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) June 22, 2025
The F-35B landed at the Thiruvananthapuram airport after it was unable to return to the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, which was anchored roughly 100 nautical miles away in the Arabian Sea. The fighter was conducting an observation flight as part of the PASSEX joint military exercise between the Indian and British navies. Adverse weather conditions and a critical fuel shortage forced the pilot to request an emergency landing at the civilian airport.
Since the emergency landing, the aircraft has been parked at Domestic Bay-4 of the airport under tight security. British Navy engineers onboard HMS Prince of Wales made initial efforts to fix the issue but were unsuccessful. Given the aircraft’s advanced and classified systems, the British authorities have declined offers, including one from Air India, to move the fighter jet into an Indian hangar. The decision to keep the aircraft in the open has stirred debate, with concerns that secrecy surrounding its technology is taking precedence over logistical safety and maintenance needs.
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Via: @eOrganiser#F35Jet #OperationSindoor #f35emergencylanding https://t.co/rk8cBbb6rU
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) June 22, 2025
The British insistence on restricting access stems from the F-35B’s cutting-edge stealth and combat technologies, which are considered highly sensitive. The aircraft is part of the elite F-35 family produced by Lockheed Martin, widely used by the US Marine Corps, the British Royal Air Force, and the British Navy. A heavily modified version, the F-35 Adir,fitted with Israeli technology, is currently being used by Israel in its ongoing operations against Iran.
This incident also coincides with recent international developments around the F-35. Earlier this year, former US President Donald Trump expressed willingness to sell F-35 fighter jets to India, potentially altering the strategic balance in the region.
Kerala: Britain fears to relocate F-35 Jet; Security tightened at Thiruvananthapuram airport
Via: @eOrganiser#Kerala #Britain #f35emergencylanding #F35 #UK https://t.co/ItEyBGQJtd
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) June 21, 2025
As engineers prepare for a final attempt to repair the grounded jet, all eyes remain on the next steps, whether a successful fix will allow the aircraft to fly out, or whether the world’s most advanced stealth jet will be airlifted out of India in a complex recovery operation.
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