UK F-35B jet towed to hangar at Thiruvananthapuram airport
A team of aviation engineers from the UK was deployed at the Thiruvananthapuram airport to repair the F-35B Lightning jet of Britain’s Royal Navy.
A team of British military engineers arrived at Thiruvananthapuram airport on Sunday with specialised equipment to repair a F-35B stealth combat jet of the Royal Navy, which has been stranded at the facility in Kerala since it made an emergency landing on June 14.
Soon after the arrival of the British team, the £85-million jet was towed from the tarmac to a hangar. Several attempts to fix the aircraft have been unsuccessful and it had been on the tarmac since it landed at Thiruvananthapuram after reporting low fuel levels.
“A UK engineering team has deployed to Thiruvananthapuram international airport to assess and repair the UK F-35B aircraft, which landed following an emergency diversion,” a British high commission spokesperson said.
The UK has accepted India’s offer of space at the maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Thiruvananthapuram, and the British side is in discussions to “finalise arrangements with relevant authorities”, the spokesperson said.
{{/usCountry}}The UK has accepted India’s offer of space at the maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Thiruvananthapuram, and the British side is in discussions to “finalise arrangements with relevant authorities”, the spokesperson said.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: How UK's F-35 fighter jet, grounded in Kerala for 20 days, will be dismantled
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: How UK's F-35 fighter jet, grounded in Kerala for 20 days, will be dismantled
{{/usCountry}}The aircraft would be moved in line with standard procedure after the arrival of the British engineers, who are carrying specialist equipment needed for the movement and repair process.
{{/usCountry}}The aircraft would be moved in line with standard procedure after the arrival of the British engineers, who are carrying specialist equipment needed for the movement and repair process.
{{/usCountry}}“The UK remains very grateful for the continued support and collaboration of the Indian authorities and airport teams,” the spokesperson said.
{{/usCountry}}“The UK remains very grateful for the continued support and collaboration of the Indian authorities and airport teams,” the spokesperson said.
{{/usCountry}}Bad weather following the emergency landing had prevented the jet from returning to the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, which was 100 nautical miles off the Kerala coast. The F-35B jet subsequently developed a hydraulic failure that prevented it from taking off. The British high commission had earlier said the jet had developed an “engineering issue”.
{{/usCountry}}Bad weather following the emergency landing had prevented the jet from returning to the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, which was 100 nautical miles off the Kerala coast. The F-35B jet subsequently developed a hydraulic failure that prevented it from taking off. The British high commission had earlier said the jet had developed an “engineering issue”.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: How F-35 fighter jets could boost Indian Air Force's stealth capabilities
The jet is expected to return to active service once repairs and safety checks have been completed. People familiar with the matter declined to provide details on the timeline for the repairs.
The F-35B jet is part of the carrier strike group accompanying the HMS Prince of Wales. The Indian Air Force (IAF) facilitated the safe landing of the jet on June 14 and later provided refuelling and logistical support.
Royal Navy technicians from the carrier strike group unsuccessfully attempted to repair the F-35B jet, which was parked at a bay designated for VIP aircraft and was guarded by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
