Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: British Royal Navy’s F-35B stealth jet, grounded at Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram International Airport since June 14 may be partially dismantled and airlifted back to the UK in a military cargo aircraft, as per a India Today report on July 4.
The question has popped up because the British F-35B, a fifth generation stealth fighter that made an emergency landing remains stranded in Kerala despite multiple attempts to repair it on-site. Its technical malfunction remains unresolved.
The jet was exposed to Kerala’s monsoon and under CISF guard, with the British navy first refusing Air India’s hangar offer. Eventually, it had to be moved indoors. With no clear timeline for recovery, British officials are now working on alternative plans to retrieve the jet. Partial dismantling has emerged as the most viable option to facilitate its return by military transport.
The incident of this fighter jet remaining stranded for an extended period of time drew global attention, and sparked cheeky social media memes. Kerala Tourism also joined in posting on X, “Kerala, the destination you’ll never want to leave. #F35 #Trivandrum #KeralaTourism.”
