UK Navy Declines Air India's Hangar Space Offer To Park Grounded F-35B: Sources

New Delhi:
The Royal Navy's crown jewel F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet, which has been parked in the open in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram for six days, will not be moved inside a hangar, as requested by the British navy, sources said.
The American-origin F-35B - the most expensive fighter jet in terms of programme cost - is packed with advanced technologies that Britain may not want others to take a closer look at, sources said, adding this could be one of the reasons why the Royal Navy declined Air India's offer to allocate hangar space to park the aircraft, away from the elements.
It is highly likely that concerns over "protected technologies" may have delayed any decision on the Royal Navy's part to take the F-35B inside a hangar.
While they have so far declined the offer, they may consider moving it inside the hangar for a final inspection and repair, sources said.
The British F-35B made an unscheduled landing in Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on June 14. The jet, one of the most advanced of its kind in the world, has become an unusual and high-profile presence at the airport, drawing attention from aviation enthusiasts and onlookers.
The aircraft is part of the UK's HMS Prince of Wales carrier strike group, currently deployed in the Indo-Pacific region. The carrier group recently completed joint maritime exercises with the Indian Navy.
Since the F-35B's arrival in Kerala, British aviation engineers have been working intensively to fix a technical snag in the aircraft's hydraulic systems.
Despite their efforts, the issue remains unresolved, delaying the fighter jet's return to its mother ship. The aircraft remains parked at the airport under a strict security cordon.
Initially, the F-35B pilot contacted Thiruvananthapuram airport and sought clearance for landing citing low fuel. The next day, the Indian Air Force (IAF) confirmed that it was an emergency landing, and the IAF would be providing all necessary support.
The pilot and Royal Navy technicians are at the airport, looking into the mechanical issues.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Indian Express

an hour ago

• Indian Express

Spiritual leader Morari Bapu announces financial assistance of Rs 51 lakh to kin of Ahmedabad crash victims

Spiritual leader Morari Bapu has extended his tributes to the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash of June 12, and announced a financial assistance of Rs 51 lakh to the families of the deceased, said a release on Friday. 'Moved deeply by the tragedy, Morari Bapu has dedicated an assistance of Rs 51 lakh for the families of the plane crash victims. The assistance would be delivered to the families of the deceased by Shri Chitrakutdham Trust after getting details from Air India. The financial arrangement has been supported by Ramesh Sachdev, a Ram Katha listener from London,' the release added.

Time of India

an hour ago

• Time of India

Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 14, watches in awe as Yashasvi Jaiswal celebrates century

Air India Crash: Miracle Survivor Vishwas Kumar Ramesh Discharged, to Perform Brother's Last Rites Air India crash survivor Viswas Kumar Ramesh has been discharged from Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and is heading home to perform the last rites of his younger brother, who perished in the April 12 crash. Ramesh, the only survivor among 242 passengers on the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner, was flung out of the aircraft after it broke apart mid-takeoff. His seat, 11A, detached and landed near ground level, sparing him the deadly fireball. Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin, called his survival a miracle and expressed disbelief at how he made it out alive. A viral video earlier showed him emerging from the BJ Medical campus minutes after the crash. Ramesh is now returning home not to celebrate life, but to bid farewell to his brother. PM Modi and HM Amit Shah had visited him during his recovery. As he prepares for the cremation, his story remains a powerful symbol of resilience in the face of overwhelming tragedy.#AirIndiaCrash #ViswashkumarRamesh #Boeing787Crash #MiracleSurvivor #BJMedicalTragedy #IndiaUK #ModiAhmedabadVisit #AviationDisaster #CrashSurvivorStory #PlaneCrashIndia #toi #toibharat #bharat #breakingnews #indianews 24.6K views | 2 days ago

India Today

2 hours ago

• India Today

British F-35 fighter jet still grounded in Kerala 6 days after emergency landing

A British Royal Navy F-35B fighter jet remains grounded at Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, six days after it made an emergency landing on June 14 around 9.30 pm, initially citing low aircraft had been operating from the United Kingdom's aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales and was conducting routine flying outside India's Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) when it was diverted to Thiruvananthapuram, which had been designated as its emergency recovery to Indian Air Force (IAF) officials, the jet landed after experiencing low fuel, and the IAF extended all necessary support, including refuelling. However, while preparing for departure, the aircraft reportedly developed a hydraulic failure and was unable to take off. A maintenance team from the British carrier arrived and attempted to repair the issue but was unsuccessful. A larger team from the United Kingdom is now expected to travel to Kerala to carry out the necessary technical work. Officials also indicated that the aircraft may be transported back aboard a military cargo aircraft, depending on the outcome of further officials had earlier confirmed a technical snag post-landing. The aircraft has remained grounded since, with Indian authorities awaiting formal clearance for further IN THIS STORY#Kerala