by .webp)
A state-of-the-art British F-35B fighter jet has been grounded at Thiruvananthapuram airport in Kerala, India, for nearly three weeks, raising questions about the circumstances that have left the advanced aircraft stranded. The jet, which landed on 14 June after being diverted due to bad weather during a sortie in the Indian Ocean, was unable to return to the Royal Navy’s flagship carrier, HMS Prince of Wales. A technical issue has since kept the aircraft grounded, despite efforts by engineers from the carrier to resolve the problem.
The British High Commission confirmed that the UK has accepted an offer to move the jet to the airport’s Maintenance Repair and Overhaul facility. The aircraft will be transferred to a hangar once UK engineering teams arrive with specialist equipment, ensuring minimal disruption to other aircraft maintenance. The statement added that the jet will return to active service after repairs and safety checks are completed, with UK ground teams working closely with Indian authorities to maintain security protocols. Airport officials expect UK technicians to arrive on Saturday. The $110m (£80m) jet, built by Lockheed Martin and renowned for its stealth capabilities and short take-off and vertical landing features, is under 24-hour guard by six Royal Air Force officers. Dr Sameer Patil, a security expert at the Observer Research Foundation in Mumbai, told the BBC that the Royal Navy has two options: repair the jet to make it airworthy or transport it out using a larger cargo plane, such as a C-17 Globemaster. The prolonged grounding has drawn attention in the UK, with Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty raising the issue in the House of Commons. He sought clarification on the steps being taken to secure the jet and protect its sensitive technologies. Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard assured that the aircraft remains under close UK control, with RAF personnel present at all times, and praised the “first-class support” provided by Indian authorities. The stranded jet has also captured public imagination, spawning memes and light-hearted social media posts. A viral post jokingly listed the jet for sale online for $4m, while another suggested it deserves Indian citizenship for its extended stay. Kerala’s tourism department joined the fun, posting an AI-generated image of the jet on the runway with palm trees in the background, humorously noting that, like many visitors to “God’s own country,” the jet is reluctant to leave. However, Dr Patil warned that the longer the jet remains grounded, the more it damages the reputation of the F-35B and the Royal Navy. “The jokes, memes, and conspiracy theories are affecting the image and credibility of the British Royal Navy,” he said, questioning whether the Navy has a standard procedure for such incidents. “If this had happened in enemy territory, would they have taken this much time? This makes for very bad PR for a professional navy.”
