Daijiworld Media Network - Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 16: After more than a month of being grounded at Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram airport, a British F-35B Lightning II fighter jet has finally been repaired by an expert team of aviation engineers from the UK and the US.

The fifth-generation stealth aircraft, part of the UK’s HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, was forced to make an emergency landing on June 14 due to a hydraulic system failure while returning from joint maritime exercises with the Indian Navy in the Indo-Pacific region.

Initial repair attempts were unsuccessful, prompting the arrival of a 14-member specialist team from the UK and Lockheed Martin, the American manufacturer of the jet, earlier this month. The team managed to shift the aircraft from its exposed location near the airport terminal to a secure, climate-controlled hangar for more focused repairs.

With the issue now fully resolved, the jet is awaiting clearance from the British Royal Navy before it can take off again.

Due to the high sensitivity and advanced nature of the F-35, the entire area around the aircraft was heavily guarded and shielded from public view to prevent leaks and maintain security. Air conditioning was installed around the worksite to ensure optimal conditions for the repair team.

The stranded fighter quickly became a talking point on social media, spawning memes and jokes. Notably, Kerala Tourism joined the online chatter with a tongue-in-cheek post on X (formerly Twitter):

“Kerala, the destination you will never want to leave. Thank you, The Fauxy.”

The spoof review humorously quoted the F-35 as saying, “Kerala is such an amazing place, I don't want to leave. Definitely recommend.”

With the technical glitch now resolved, the fighter jet is expected to take off soon, marking the end of an unusual chapter in international defence aviation—and an unexpected moment in Kerala’s tourism spotlight.