A British Royal Navy F-35B Lightning fighter jet, grounded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, Kerala, since June 14, is now expected to fly out of India on Tuesday, July 22. The advanced stealth jet, one of the most modern in the UK’s fleet, had been forced to make an emergency landing after developing a technical snag while on its way to another destination.
The jet, valued at over $110 million, was brought down safely at the Thiruvananthapuram airport after reporting low fuel levels. Following its landing, airport authorities declared an emergency to ensure smooth handling of the situation. The aircraft was then towed from the tarmac to a hangar with the help of a British team that arrived soon after the incident.
Extended Stay, Repairs
Since then, several repair efforts were made to fix the issue. The jet remained inside the hangar of Air India, where it was kept under the care of aviation engineers flown in from the UK.
Over the past month, technicians worked to resolve the technical problem, and airport sources have now confirmed that the aircraft is ready for departure. The exact time of takeoff has not been disclosed due to security reasons.
Local Attraction
The extended stay of the fighter jet at the Indian airport has attracted attention, as such advanced military aircraft rarely remain grounded outside their home base for so long. During its stay, the aircraft incurred various operational charges, including landing fees, daily parking fees, and hangar rent.
The maintenance crew and the specialised equipment brought to India for the repairs will return separately on another flight after the jet takes off. Airport sources confirmed that final preparations are now underway and the aircraft has been moved out of the hangar in readiness for its flight.
This will mark the end of the aircraft’s over five-week-long unscheduled stop in India, following what appears to have been a rare technical fault in one of the world’s most sophisticated fighter jets.
