British aviation team to land in Kerala to repair stranded F-35B fighter jet

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 3 (PTI) A team of aviation engineers from the UK is expected to arrive in Thiruvananthapuram on July 5 to repair an F-35B Lightning jet of Britain’s Royal Navy, as the aircraft remains stranded following an emergency landing last month.

Sources said a 40-member aviation team is expected to arrive in the Kerala capital on a special flight and attempt to fix the technical issue affecting the aircraft, which is part of the HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group of the UK’s Royal Navy.

They were originally scheduled to arrive on July 2, but the visit was postponed for unknown reasons, the sources added.

Currently, the aircraft is parked at a bay and is being guarded by a six-member team from the HMS Prince of Wales, they said.

The jet, worth over USD 110 million and considered one of the most advanced fighter aircraft globally, made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram Airport on 14 June.

The aircraft is awaiting repairs at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport after developing an engineering issue, a spokesperson for the British High Commission said last week.

The UK has accepted an offer to move the aircraft to the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at the airport.

"The aircraft will be moved to the hangar once UK engineering teams arrive with specialist equipment, thereby ensuring minimal disruption to scheduled maintenance of other aircraft," the spokesperson said on June 27.

The F-35B is the only fifth-generation fighter jet with short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capabilities, making it ideal for operating from smaller decks, austere bases, and ships.

Days after the emergency landing, the Indian Air Force stated it was providing all necessary support for the "rectification and subsequent return" of the aircraft.

The HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group conducted joint military exercises with the Indian Navy earlier in June.

Known simply as the 'Lightning' in British service, the F-35B is the STOVL variant of the fighter jet, designed to operate from short-field bases and air-capable ships. PTI TGB TGB KH