Nineteen days after a British F-35B stealth fighter jet diverted to Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, the advanced aircraft remains grounded due to unresolved technical issues.
The F-35B, a short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant built by Lockheed Martin, was forced to land on June 15 when severe weather prevented it from returning to HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy’s flagship carrier deployed in the Indo-Pacific.
According to the British High Commission, the pilot executed a safe emergency landing after low fuel levels added urgency to the diversion. However, after landing, the jet developed an “engineering issue” that has kept it out of service.
Initial attempts to repair the fighter in the field have been unsuccessful. In response, the UK dispatched a specialised team of engineers equipped with advanced diagnostic tools. Despite their efforts, officials say no timeline is available yet for restoring the aircraft to flying condition.
Sources revealed that airport authorities, in coordination with the Indian Air Force (IAF), are preparing to shift the jet into a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hangar. As contingency planning, the Royal Navy is evaluating the rare option of airlifting the jet aboard a C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft.
The pilot was extracted the day after landing by a Royal Navy AW101 Merlin helicopter and returned to the carrier.
The F-35 programme is the world’s most expensive military aviation initiative, with these jets deployed globally from Israel to the Pacific. Meanwhile, the grounded fighter remains under 24-hour guard in Kerala.