Latest news with #HMSPrinceofWales
News18
5 hours ago
- General
- News18
British F-35B Jet Remains In Thiruvananthapuram As Royal Navy Declines India's Support Offers
A British Royal Navy F-35B fighter jet remains grounded at Thiruvananthapuram Airport nearly a week after an emergency landing due to a suspected hydraulic failure. Days after a British Royal Navy F-35B fighter made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on June 14, it remains grounded there, multiple media reports suggest. According to Money Control, India offered to move the jet to a hangar at the airport to help the British technical team carry out repairs. However, this offer was declined by the Royal Navy, the Indian Defence Research Wing said. The Indian Air Force later suggested building a temporary shed at the site to protect the aircraft and ground crew from rain and heat, but this offer too was reportedly turned down, the report claimed. The stealth jet, operating from the UK aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, landed at the Thiruvananthapuram airport due to a suspected hydraulic issue. The incident happened while it was on a routine flight outside Indian airspace when it developed a technical fault and diverted to the southern Indian airport, designated in advance as an emergency recovery site. Though the emergency landing was safely executed and previously reported, the root issue, believed to be a fault in the aircraft's hydraulic system, has not yet been resolved, leaving the fifth-generation combat jet stationed at the airport for nearly six days now. According to news agency PTI, technicians from the carrier arrived shortly after the incident to begin inspection and repairs. Six of them returned to the ship on Tuesday afternoon, while three personnel, including the pilot, remain at Thiruvananthapuram to oversee the rectification efforts. The pilot did not remain in the cockpit after landing and has been resting in the airport's apron office area. As part of precautionary protocol, the aircrew were moved to the Emergency Medical Centre after the incident. Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Ltd (TIAL) has been facilitating their stay, providing accommodation and meals. A local ground handling agency was also arranged at the Royal Navy's request. The Indian Air Force, which tracked and cleared the jet for landing through its IACCS radar network, supports the UK team in returning the aircraft to full service. First Published: June 20, 2025, 14:37 IST
South China Morning Post
5 hours ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
UK's F-35B plane lands in India, sparking talk of link to Israel-Iran conflict
The emergency landing of a British F-35B stealth fighter in southern India has turned public attention to the deepening defence cooperation between London and New Delhi, with the incident interpreted as a symbol of their growing strategic alignment. Valued at over US$100 million, the hi-tech aircraft was diverted to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala last Saturday following a suspected hydraulic system failure during a routine flight over international waters. The F-35B earlier took off from the Royal Navy's flagship aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, according to several Indian media reports. The Indian air force coordinated with local air traffic controllers to facilitate an unscheduled landing for the aircraft. Technicians were airlifted by the Royal Navy to carry out repairs on the F-35B, the reports added. Although Thiruvananthapuram has been designated as a diversion airfield for British naval aircraft operating in the region before the incident, the sight of one of the world's most advanced warplanes landing unexpectedly on Indian soil has sparked public speculation. The timing of the incident against the background of worsening tensions in the Middle East has prompted questions of whether it signalled broader defence ties between the UK and India or otherwise. The incident should be seen as a reflection of deepening security cooperation between both countries, rather than a response to the Middle East conflicts, according to analysts.
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
China slams British warship's recent passage as 'intentional provocation'
HMS Spey transited the Taiwan strait for the first time in four years on Wednesday - but the Chinese military called the operation an 'intentional provocation' that threatens regional peace China's military has lashed out at the UK after British warship HMS Spey sailed through the Taiwan Strait this week, calling the move an "intentional provocation" that threatens regional peace. The Royal Navy said Wednesday's patrol was part of a long-planned deployment and fully compliant with international law. It marked the first time a British naval vessel has transited the strait in four years. But Beijing, which considers self-governed Taiwan part of its territory, sharply criticised the mission. A spokesperson for China 's navy accused the UK of "publicly hyping up" HMS Spey's journey and said its actions distorted legal principles in a bid to mislead the public. "Such actions are intentional provocations that disrupt the situation and undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," the spokesperson said, adding that Chinese forces closely monitored HMS Spey and would "resolutely counter all threats and provocations." China's foreign ministry later echoed the military's comments, saying that while it respects other countries' right to sail through the strait, it "firmly opposes any country using the name of freedom of navigation to provoke and threaten China's sovereign security." Taiwan however welcomed the patrol, with its foreign ministry calling it a move that upheld the freedom of navigation in the highly contested waterway. The passage of HMS Spey comes as a UK carrier strike group - led by the Royal Navy's flagship aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales - begins an eight-month Indo-Pacific deployment. Described by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as "one of the largest this century," the operation will involve 4,000 UK personnel working alongside 30 countries, including the US, India, Singapore, and Malaysia. HMS Spey is one of two British warships permanently stationed in the Indo-Pacific. The last time a British vessel transited the Taiwan Strait was in 2021, when HMS Richmond drew similar condemnation from Beijing. At the time, China also deployed military units to shadow the ship's movement. Cross-strait tensions have escalated significantly since Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te took office earlier this year. An outspoken critic of Beijing, Lai has labelled China a "foreign hostile force" and introduced measures targeting Chinese influence operations. Meanwhile, China continues to ramp up military pressure in the region. In April, it staged live-fire drills simulating strikes on key ports and energy sites. Most recently, it launched an unprecedented dual aircraft carrier exercise near Japan, sparking concern in Tokyo.
Time of India
19 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
UK navy's F-35 still grounded in T'puram
T'puram: The departure of the UK Royal Navy's F-35 fighter jet from Thiruvananthapuram airport has been further delayed after technicians failed to fix a hydraulic snag. Sources said the jet's departure, originally scheduled for Tuesday, has now been postponed indefinitely. A crew flown in by helicopter from the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales was unable to resolve the issue. Additional technical experts are expected to arrive from the UK to inspect and repair the aircraft. The fighter jet, attached to HMS Prince of Wales, made an emergency landing at the Thiruvananthapuram airport on Saturday, assisted by the Indian Air Force. The airport has arranged accommodation for the crew while repair work continues. The aircraft has remained grounded for the past five days due to the hydraulic malfunction. tnn
The Hindu
a day ago
- Climate
- The Hindu
U.K. fighter jet's departure to be delayed further
The departure of the Royal Navy F-35B fighter jet of the U.K. government that made an emergency landing at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on the night of June 14 is likely to be delayed as the aircraft had suffered some serious damage during the emergency landing. According to sources, the British authorities have sought more time and an MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) facility to fix the technical glitches. At present, four crew members are staying here, and an expert team from the U.K. is likely to arrive in the coming days to tend to the combat jet. It is expected that at least one week is required to fix the technical issues, said the sources. The stealth aircraft may be taken to the MRO of Air India from bay number four in the coming days for repairs. The combat jet developed technical glitches when it was forced to make an emergency landing after running on low fuel. Operating from the U.K. aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, the jet was undertaking routine flying outside the Indian Air Defence Identification Zone, with Thiruvananthapuram earmarked as the emergency recovery airfield, on June 14. However, the weather turned rough in the Indian Ocean, making it difficult for the fighter jet to land on the aircraft carrier. With fuel running low, it then had to request an emergency landing here.
