The British F-35B fighter jet, which is stuck in Kerala after making an emergency landing nearly a fortnight ago, will soon be moved to a maintenance hangar, and will return to service once the safety checks have been completed.
According to news agency IANS, a British High Commission spokesperson confirmed that the fighter jet developed an “engineering issue,” due to which it remained stranded at the Thiruvananthapuram Airport.
“A UK F-35B aircraft is awaiting repairs at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport after developing an engineering issue. The UK has accepted an offer to move the aircraft to the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul facility at the airport. The aircraft will be moved to the hangar once UK engineering teams arrive with specialist equipment, thereby ensuring there is minimal disruption to scheduled maintenance of other aircraft. The aircraft will return to active service once repairs and safety checks have been completed,” the British High Commission spokesperson said.
The F-35B fighter jet belongs to the UK’s Royal Navy, and is part of the HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group. It is worth over USD 110 million and known to be one of the most advanced fighters globally.
The spokesperson also thanked Indian authorities for their continued support, and added that the UK was working closely with India to ensure all precautions are observed.
“Ground teams continue to work closely with Indian authorities to ensure safety and security precautions are observed. We thank the Indian authorities and Thiruvananthapuram International Airport for their continued support,” the spokesperson added.
British authorities on Wednesday had said that efforts are underway to repair the aircraft. “We are working to repair the UK F-35B at Thiruvananthapuram international airport as quickly as possible,” a British High Commission spokesperson said.
The aircraft was initially unable to return to Prince of Wales due to adverse weather conditions. However, it subsequently developed an engineering issue while on the ground which precluded its return to the carrier.
After an assessment by engineers from HMS Prince of Wales, it was decided that the support of a UK-based engineering team was needed. Days after the jet’s emergency landing, the Indian Air Force stated all necessary support for the “rectification and subsequent return” of the aircraft was being provided.
