Kathmandu: The British Ministry of Defence has announced that engineers will be sent from the UK to repair an F-35B fighter jet parked at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala, India. Once the engineers arrive, the aircraft will be moved to a hangar for repairs.
The fighter jet had taken off from HMS Prince of Wales and made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram Airport on June 14 due to bad weather, which prevented it from returning to the Royal Navy aircraft carrier.
Responding to questions from BBC Hindi, a spokesperson for the British Ministry of Defence said, “A technical issue arose after landing that made it impossible for the aircraft to return. Engineers from HMS Prince of Wales assessed the aircraft and decided that support from an engineering team based in the UK was necessary. It is currently not possible to estimate how long the repairs will take.”
The spokesperson added, “To ensure that normal airport operations are not disrupted, once the engineering team arrives, the aircraft will be moved to a designated location under MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) facilities.”
The British Ministry of Defence also stated, “During this period, we have worked closely with the Indian Air Force, Navy, and all Indian agencies, including Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, and we are grateful for their cooperation.”
The spokesperson further said, “India’s support in the safe landing, logistics, and security of the aircraft reflects the deepening coordination and mutual cooperation between the armed forces of India and the United Kingdom.”
