The United Kingdom is preparing a rare airlift of its F-35B stealth fighter jet from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala, following technical problems that forced an emergency landing on June 15. Nineteen days post-incident, plans are underway to transport the fifth-generation jet on a Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster, a heavy-lift transport aircraft, as field repairs have been unsuccessful.
The F-35B, a short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant manufactured by Lockheed Martin, was diverted from the Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, due to adverse weather conditions. This emergency landing became necessary because of fuel constraints and inclement weather following a standard Indo-UK naval exercise in the region.
While the pilot was successfully extracted by a Royal Navy AW101 Merlin helicopter the day after the landing and returned to the carrier, the fighter jet has remained grounded and under guard on the tarmac. An “engineering issue” subsequently rendered the aircraft unfit for flight, prompting the UK Ministry of Defence to send a specialized team of engineers to assess and attempt repairs.
Despite the use of advanced diagnostic tools, authorities have not yet established a timeline for when, or if, the aircraft will be airworthy again. In the meantime, coordination efforts are ongoing between Indian Air Force officials and airport authorities to potentially relocate the jet to a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) hangar before the planned airlift takes place.
The British High Commission has stated that the diversion of the aircraft was executed as a precautionary safety measure, and that it is being closely monitored. Local airport operations have experienced minimal disruption thanks to the proactive measures implemented by Indian authorities.
The global F-35 program is recognized as the most expensive and technologically advanced weapons development initiative in military aviation history. With over 800,000 flight hours logged by various operators, including the US, UK, and Israel, the F-35 has become an indispensable asset in modern air combat. The forthcoming airlift from India underscores the logistical challenges associated with deploying such advanced systems far from their home bases.
