British Navy's F-35 fighter aircraft departs after 39 days of emergency landing at TVM airport

THE British Navy's F-35 fighter aircraft departed from India on 22 July after making an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport on 14 June due to a technical snag. It flew back at 10.50 am to Darwin in Australia after being grounded for 39 days.

“A UK F-35B aircraft, which landed following an emergency diversion on June 14, departed today from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. A UK engineering team, deployed since July 06, completed the repairs and safety checks, allowing the aircraft to resume active service," a British High Commission spokesperson said.

It added, "The UK remains very grateful for the support and collaboration of the Indian authorities and airport teams throughout the repair and recovery process. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our defence partnership with India."

The HMS Prince of Wales was conducting a routine sortie outside the Indian Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) when it sought permission to land at Thiruvananthapuram airport, designated as the emergency recovery airfield.

The aircraft experienced a hydraulic failure, according to defence officials, an ANI report said.

The British Royal Navy’s F-35B Lightning fighter jet was moved out of the Air India hangar and stationed at the airport bay yesterday. The Indian Air Force offered all the support needed and helped in the process, even refuelling. A team from the UK Royal Air Force had arrived to perform a complete overhaul.

Photos of the “lonely F-35B”, stationed on the tarmac and drenched by the Kerala monsoon rains, went viral on social media. The Kerala Tourism Department was the first to post a picture of the aircraft on the social media platform X, accompanied by a witty caption, “Kerala, the destination you'll never want to leave.” 

Soon after, similar posts appeared from Milma (Kerala's dairy cooperative), the Kerala Police, the State AIDS Control Society and various private organisations.

Developed by Lockheed Martin, they are celebrated for their capacity to take off from short distances and land vertically. It is a key component of the UK’s most advanced stealth fleet and is recognised as one of the most advanced military aircraft globally and priced above USD 110 million.

Previously, the Indian Navy and the United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group (UK CSG25) carried out a joint naval exercise, known as a Passage Exercise (PASSEX), in the western Arabian Sea.

This represented the UK Strike Group’s “first major engagement" after arriving in the Indo-Pacific region.

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