‘We Thank…’: Stranded for Two Weeks, UK’s F-35B Fighter To Be Moved to Hangar

New Delhi: A British F-35B fighter aircraft, which has been grounded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala for the past two weeks, will soon be shifted to the airport’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hangar. 

A spokesperson for the UK High Commission confirmed on Friday that engineering teams from the United Kingdom are being dispatched with specialist equipment to carry out repairs on the advanced stealth jet.

While on the ground, the jet developed unspecified engineering issues that have kept it stranded since mid-June. According to the UK High Commission, initial assessments by engineers aboard the Prince of Wales determined that repairs required support from a dedicated UK-based engineering team.

Thanks to the Indian Authorities

“We thank the Indian authorities and Thiruvananthapuram International Airport for their continued support,” the High Commission spokesperson said, adding that safety and security precautions were being observed. “The aircraft will return to active service once repairs and safety checks have been completed.”

The American-made fighter jet, part of the HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group deployed to the Indo-Pacific, was returning to its base after completing joint exercises with the Indian Navy. 

On June 14, adverse weather prevented it from landing on the aircraft carrier, forcing the pilot to divert to Thiruvananthapuram airport, where the aircraft landed safely.

Security Concerns Delayed Movement

Earlier reports suggested that the UK Navy initially opposed moving the fighter jet into the hangar, likely to prevent exposure of its “protected technologies.” 

However, British authorities have since accepted India’s offer to shift the aircraft to the MRO facility to avoid disruptions to airport operations.