British F-35 fighter jet stranded in Thiruvananthapuram for 20 days; airlifting planned if issue not resolved

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 40-member team of engineers from British naval forces and the U.S. aerospace company Lockheed Martin is arriving on Saturday in Thiruvananthapuram to address the technical malfunction of a British F-35 fighter jet that has been stranded at the airport for the past 20 days. Currently, a few British Navy personnel are stationed near the aircraft, but they do not have permission to access it. The jet made an emergency landing on June 14 due to low fuel and a technical fault.

The team is considering three possible options: repair the aircraft at the parking bay itself at the airport; move it to Air India’s hangar for maintenance; or, if neither is feasible, dismantle the wings and airlift it using a Globemaster aircraft. If the aircraft is to be airlifted, the British forces will bear all charges related to parking, handling, and landing at the airport.

The C-17 Globemaster, capable of carrying up to 77 tons, can accommodate up to two F-35 fighter jets. However, since the F-35 measures 14 meters in length and 11 meters in width, while the cargo bay of the Globemaster is only 4 meters wide, the wings would have to be removed for transport. The expert team is bringing special towing equipment to move the jet to the hangar. Reports suggest the aircraft is suffering from a serious hydraulic failure. The F-35 is valued at $115 million (approximately Rs 995 crore), and the U.S. has not shared its core technology with other countries, which has led to delays in repairs.

F-35 gets a social media “Aadhaar” card
The grounded fighter jet has become a target of social media trolls in India. A fake Aadhaar card has gone viral featuring the jet’s photo, with the name “F-35B Nair” and the Thiruvananthapuram airport address. Images jokingly depicting a restaurant set up inside the aircraft have also been widely shared online.