After over a month of uncertainty, the British Royal Air Force’s F-35B stealth fighter jet, which had remained grounded since June 14, finally took off from Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on Tuesday.
The F-35B aircraft, one of the world’s most expensive and advanced fighter jets, was en route to Darwin, Australia, according to reports.
The jet, which had encountered technical difficulties and made an emergency landing last month, was moved out of the hangar on Monday (July 21) by a specialist team flown in from the U.K. after they completed over two weeks of intensive maintenance work on the state-of-the-art aircraft.
In a statement issued by the British High Commission, a spokesperson said, “The U.K. deeply appreciates the support and cooperation extended by the Indian authorities and airport staff throughout the entire repair and recovery operation. We remain committed to deepening our defence ties with India.”
The F-35B, a fifth-generation stealth aircraft designed by Lockheed Martin, had been stationed in Thiruvananthapuram since June 14 after experiencing a technical malfunction.
The aircraft was forced to land in an emergency after it reportedly ran low on fuel that night.
Though the exact nature of the repair work hasn’t been disclosed by British officials, sources indicate the problem stemmed from a serious fault in the auxiliary power unit, necessitating the involvement of U.K.-based experts.
Attempts to fix the issue immediately following the emergency landing proved unsuccessful.
After the arrival of the British maintenance crew on July 6, the fighter jet was carefully moved to the airport’s hangar facility for extensive diagnostics and repair. At the time of the incident, the aircraft was part of the HMS Prince of Wales fleet operating in the Indian Ocean.
Hefty Parking Charges
During its extended stay, British authorities have accrued approximately Rs 5 lakh in parking charges at the Thiruvananthapuram airport.
The fee was calculated based on the jet’s size, weight, duration of stay, and the services availed by the crew during this period.
Estimates place the daily parking fee at around Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000. The fee will be paid on behalf of the U.K. by Bird Group, a Delhi-based ground handling service provider.
While the airport will collect the total parking charges for the aircraft’s stay since June 14, a separate fee for the hangar usage and associated services will be levied by AI Engineering Services Ltd. (AIESL), which owns the hangar and provides aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul services.
The F-35B is a cutting-edge stealth fighter operated by the Royal Air Force and is known for its unique capability of short take-off and vertical landing, making it a crucial asset in modern aerial combat operations.
(With inputs from IBNS)
