Thiruvananthapuram: The British Navy's state-of-the-art F-35 fighter jet, currently grounded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, is undergoing top-secret maintenance under the watchful eyes of British military personnel. It has now been 22 days since the aircraft made an unscheduled landing due to fuel depletion.
The jet, which had taken off from the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales deployed in the Arabian Sea for joint naval drills with India touched down at the airport on the night of June 14. Initially parked in Bay No. 4 under CISF surveillance, the aircraft has since been moved to the Air India engineering hangar for discreet repairs.
A specialized British-American technical team landed in the city last Sunday to diagnose and resolve the issue. Maintenance is being carried out using advanced equipment, with British troops maintaining a close perimeter around the operation. Reports suggest faults in the aircraft’s hydraulic system and auxiliary power unit, which are now being addressed under strict confidentiality.
To further shield the operation from public view and local security forces, the repair work has been relocated to a secondary hangar with restricted access. British defense officials remain tight-lipped, with the primary goal being to restore the aircraft to flight-ready condition and return it to service as swiftly as possible.