British Fighter Jet Remains Grounded at Thiruvananthapuram Due to Technical Glitch

Thiruvananthapuram: The British Navy’s F-35B Lightning II fighter jet, which made an emergency landing at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport during a training flight over the Arabian Sea, has not returned to its aircraft carrier even two days later. Despite repair efforts by a joint team of British engineers and Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel, the technical issue that grounded the fifth-generation fighter jet remains unresolved.
The incident occurred on Saturday night after the aircraft, which was operating from the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, faced unfavourable weather conditions and was unable to land back on the warship. After circling over the sea and running low on fuel, the pilot sought permission to divert and land at Thiruvananthapuram airport. The jet landed safely, and no damage or injuries were reported.
A team comprising three British engineers and a pilot arrived by helicopter from the aircraft carrier on Sunday to examine the jet, with support from the Indian Air Force. Although the aircraft was refuelled on the same day following a request from the British Consulate in Chennai, it could not take off due to the persistent technical malfunction. The pilot was flown back to the carrier by helicopter. The HMS Prince of Wales is currently anchored approximately 100 nautical miles off the Kerala coast in the Arabian Sea.

Tied to Bilateral Naval Exercises

The F-35B had been participating in a training operation as part of the joint military exercise ‘PASSEX’ conducted by the Indian Navy and the British Navy in the Arabian Sea. The aircraft took off from the carrier as part of the routine sortie. Limited fuel capacity is maintained for such training flights, and in this instance, worsening weather near the warship forced the diversion.
According to officials, the fighter is expected to return to the HMS Prince of Wales once the technical issues are resolved.
F-35B Variant Suited for Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing

The F-35B Lightning II is one of three variants of the F-35 series developed by US defence firm Lockheed Martin. Specifically designed for short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL), the F-35B is suitable for operations from aircraft carriers without catapult systems, such as the HMS Prince of Wales.
A fifth-generation supersonic fighter, the F-35B features stealth technology, sensor fusion, advanced electronic warfare systems, and real-time data connectivity. It plays a key role in modern naval aviation strategies. With a full fuel load, the F-35B has a range of about 2,000 kilometres and can be equipped with external fuel tanks when needed. However, for training sorties, only a limited amount of fuel is typically loaded.
The Indian Air Force has coordinated closely with the British Navy and other agencies to ensure the aircraft’s safety and security during its unscheduled stay in India. No official statement has yet been issued by the UK Ministry of Defence or Lockheed Martin regarding the cause of the malfunction.