The F-35B, belonging to the UK, landed at Thiruvananthapuram Airport in Kerala, southern India, on June 14 after encountering bad weather during a training flight over the Indian Ocean. Unable to return to the HMS Prince of Wales, the flagship of the British Royal Navy, the jet experienced a technical issue after landing, further preventing its return.
Since then, engineers from the HMS Prince of Wales have been working to fix the issue, but so far, they have been unsuccessful.
The British High Commission, in a statement to the BBC, said: “The UK has accepted the proposal to move the aircraft to the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility at the airport. The aircraft will be moved to the hangar once British engineering teams arrive with specialized equipment, and this process will minimize disruption to other aircraft maintenance activities.”
The statement added, “Once repairs and safety checks are completed, the aircraft will return to active duty.”
24-Hour Guard Duty
The $110 million (approximately £80 million) fighter jet is currently under 24-hour guard by six personnel from the British Royal Air Force.
Experts suggest that the Royal Navy has only two options: repair the jet and make it flight-worthy again or transport it using a C-17 Globemaster cargo aircraft.
Social Media Sensation
The F-35B, produced by Lockheed Martin, is known as an advanced stealth jet with short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities.
Images of the F-35B sitting alone on the runway under Kerala’s monsoon rains have gone viral on social media, sparking numerous jokes and memes.
“India Should Charge Rent”
In one viral post, the jet was humorously listed for sale on a website for $4 million, with features like “automatic parking system, new tires, new battery, and an automatic weapon to eliminate traffic violators.”
One X user joked that the jet had been in India long enough to qualify for citizenship, while another suggested that India should start charging rent, with the Kohinoor diamond being the most appropriate payment.
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