The UK’s F-35B Lightning II fighter jet remained grounded at Thiruvananthapuram airport for over five weeks. Now, the aircraft is finally ready to take off again. The jet is a fifth-generation stealth fighter.
F-35B Grounded in Kerala Finally Gets Green Light
It is known for its advanced technology. One of its key features is short take-off capability. It can also land vertically. These features are known as STOVL. The aircraft made an emergency landing in Kerala. This landing happened on 14 June. The emergency landing took place at the Thiruvananthapuram airport.
The fighter was returning from a military exercise. It had participated in a joint maritime exercise. The exercise took place in the Indo-Pacific region. The Indian Navy was also part of this exercise. A technical issue forced the aircraft to stop its journey. The aircraft is a part of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group led by HMS Prince of Wales. The issue that grounded the fighter was related to its hydraulic system.
Initially, the maintenance team attempted to repair the snag with a round of fixes, but they failed to make the jet airworthy in the first attempt. Following this, the authorities flew in a second team of 14 expert aviation engineers from the United States and the United Kingdom earlier this month.
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This team included specialists from the British Royal Navy and engineers from Lockheed Martin, the company behind the F-35 fighter program. Now, the aircraft has been declared fit to fly. The final airworthiness clearance came from the UK after thorough checks and a positive report from the technical team.
Special Team Restores F-35B After Hydraulic Failure
The second repair team played a key role in solving the issues that had kept the jet grounded for weeks. Their expertise was crucial in examining the aircraft, identifying the persistent faults in the hydraulic systems, and carrying out the necessary fixes.
The team, which had been staying in Kerala since early July, worked methodically to bring the jet back to operational status. They used specialised tools and diagnostics to monitor the internal systems of the aircraft, which has highly sensitive onboard technology.
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After completing all necessary tests and receiving confirmation from multiple aviation agencies, officials finally cleared the fighter to fly on Tuesday. The special repair team also plans to leave Kerala on Monday evening on a separate aircraft after they successfully complete their mission.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed the destination of the fighter jet. Officials remain silent on whether the aircraft will rejoin HMS Prince of Wales in the sea or fly directly back to the United Kingdom. This secrecy is common with military operations for safety and strategic reasons.
Social Media Buzz and Tourism Campaign Around Fighter
Since the moment it landed, the jet has become a talking point across social media platforms. Photos of the aircraft at the airport, various memes, and humorous posts flooded the internet during the five-week grounding.
The presence of such a sophisticated aircraft in Kerala created much curiosity. The F-35B is not commonly seen in civilian airports, especially in regions like southern India. Many people shared pictures and speculations online about the situation and the cause of the technical failure.
Kerala Tourism also joined in the online buzz. It added a humorous touch to its promotional campaign, posting a spoof message on X (formerly Twitter). The post jokingly quoted the fighter jet as saying, “Kerala is such an amazing place, I don’t want to leave. Definitely recommend.” The caption read, “Kerala, the destination you will never want to leave. Thank you, The Fauxy.”
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This playful interaction drew even more attention to the incident and brought a light-hearted tone to what was otherwise a serious technical issue involving a military aircraft.
Now that the fighter is set to fly again, it may once again grab attention as it departs the Thiruvananthapuram airport. Its stay in Kerala — unexpected but unforgettable — has become part of both aviation and local tourism chatter.