After 19 days, UK's F-B35 fighter to be airlifted from Kerala airport
After being grounded at Kerala airport due to an 'engineering' issue, the stranded stealth fighter will now be transported via a C-17 Globemaster, it is learnt
The British F-35B stealth fighter jet that has been stranded at Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, and which even became a viral Kerala tourism meme, is likely to be finally flown out in a massive jet, said a news report.
Nineteen days ago, the state-of-the-art aircraft had made an unscheduled emergency landing at Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram International Airport due to “adverse weather conditions” and depleting fuel.
However, the aircraft continued to remain grounded at the airport since it had developed what UK authorities called ‘an engineering issue’ making it incapable of flying.
Airlifted from Kerala
Since the attempts to repair the aircraft seems to have failed, the UK is now exploring the option of airlifting the jet aboard a C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft, said an NDTV report.
Also read: UK not to share repairing details of F-35B grounded in Kerala with India
According to another report, this fighter plane will be dismantled and transported for repairs.
The supersonic stealth fighter F-35B is a short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the Lockheed Martin-built fifth-generation aircraft and is valued at over $110 million. It could not return to HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy's flagship aircraft carrier currently deployed in the Indo-Pacific.
Stranded
It was participating in routine joint maritime exercises with the Indian Navy as part of the UK's HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, when it was diverted to Kerala.
The British High Commission, meanwhile, had issued a statement last week explaining that the emergency diversion was prompted by "adverse weather conditions." The aircraft landed safely at Thiruvananthapuram airport on June 15.
Also read: Working to repair F-35B: British high commission on stranded fighter jet in Kerala
However, while it was was expected to take off after refuelling, it developed an 'engineering issue' on the ground and has remained stationed at Bay No. 4 of the airport since then. A Royal Navy AW101 Merlin helicopter arrived at the airport to transport the pilots back to the HMS Prince of Wales. The jet, meanwhile, has remained at the airport under continuous guard.
The Royal Navy deployed a team of specialised engineers from the UK to repair the aircraft with advanced diagnostic and repair equipment. According to reports, airport officials, in coordination with the Indian Air Force (IAF), were preparing to move the jet into a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hangar on the airfield.
The High Commission acknowledged that it is difficult to give a timeline for the aircraft's repair and that efforts are underway to ensure minimum disruption to local operations.
Also read: F-35 stealth fighters: What's the 'American beast' US wants to sell to India?
Costliest weapon
The F-35 programme is considered to be the largest and costliest weapons development initiative in military aviation history.
The F-35 fleet is deployed for multiple services and seen in different combat theatres. Israel has deployed its F-35As in precision strikes across Syria and Iranian-linked targets, while the US has its F-35s stationed in the Pacific, Europe, and Middle East.