The British Royal Navy’s F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet, stranded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport since June 14, 2025, is set to fly out on Tuesday, July 22, after successful repairs to a critical hydraulic failure. The $110-million fifth-generation aircraft, part of the HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, made an emergency landing in Kerala due to low fuel and adverse weather during a transit from the UK to Australia, compounded by the hydraulic issue that rendered it unflightworthy.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) facilitated the safe landing at 9:28 PM on June 14, providing refueling and logistical support. Despite initial repair attempts by Royal Navy technicians, the complex hydraulic fault required a specialized team of 24 UK personnel—14 RAF technical experts and 10 crew members—who arrived on July 6 via a Royal Air Force Airbus A400M. The jet was towed to the airport’s Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility to shield it from monsoon rains and enable repairs.

On July 20, the British High Commission confirmed the hydraulic system was fully restored, and final clearance was granted for the jet’s departure. The F-35B, guarded by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Bay 4, drew significant attention, sparking memes and a Kerala Tourism post joking that the jet, like visitors, didn’t want to leave “God’s Own Country.”

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The incident, part of joint Indo-UK naval exercises, underscores the deepening defense ties between the two nations, with the IAF’s support lauded by British authorities. If repairs had failed, the UK considered airlifting the jet via an RAF C-17 Globemaster III, a measure previously used in a 2021 F-35B crash recovery. The successful repair avoids this costly operation, allowing the jet to rejoin its carrier group.

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