UK Expert Team Arrives in Kerala to Inspect Grounded F-35B Fighter Jet

UK-US Expert Team Arrives in Kerala to Salvage Grounded F-35B Stealth Jet

Thiruvananthapuram, July 6: A high-powered 24-member Anglo-American technical team landed in Kerala today to evaluate and repair the stranded RAF F-35B Lightning II fighter that made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on June 14.

Critical Mission Underway

The team (14 engineers + 10 crew) arrived via RAF Atlas transport from UK's Brize Norton after stops in Cyprus and Oman

Currently assessing whether the $100M+ fifth-gen fighter can be:

✓ Repaired on-site (possibly in airport hangars)

✓ Partially dismantled for transport

✓ Require shipment to UK/US for full restoration

Operational Challenges

Aircraft parked at domestic terminal bay #4 since landing due to dual technical-weather emergency

Decision timeline: 48-72 hours for repair feasibility report

Strategic sensitivity: US-origin stealth tech under joint UK-US oversight

Why This Matters

First F-35 incident requiring foreign intervention in India

Tests India's aviation emergency protocols with Western allies

Social media frenzy continues amid defense media blackout

Next Steps:

British officials maintain optimism for local repairs, but complex avionics may necessitate overseas transfer.