British F-35 jet grounded in southern India

A British F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet has been grounded at the Thiruvananthapuram Airport in southern India since making an emergency landing on Saturday. British aviation engineers are working on the aircraft, which remains on the tarmac on account of a “technical snag,” according to local media reports. 

The jet, part of the HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, was engaged in operations in the Indo-Pacific region after conducting joint exercises with the Indian Navy. The F-35B is a fighter jet designed by Lockheed Martin that can take off and land vertically, making it suitable for use on aircraft carriers. 

On Saturday night, the aircraft made an emergency diversion to Thiruvananthapuram due to low fuel levels, a report by NDTV said. It made an emergency landing after encountering bad weather, which prevented it from returning to its carrier.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) assisted it by using its radar network and coordinating with air traffic control to ensure a safe landing, the Times of India said. 

On Monday, a Royal Navy helicopter arrived at the airport to take the pilot back to the ship, suggesting the F-35’s return to service may be delayed. The IAF has said the jet’s emergency landing was a “normal occurrence,” adding that it is providing logistical support to assist with the situation.

Six technicians who had arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday and Monday, returned to the HMS Prince of Wales by helicopter on Tuesday afternoon, the Times of India added. The IAF does not have the F-35 in its arsenal but US President Donald Trump said in February that his country would offer to sell the jets to India.

However, local media reports have suggested that the South Asian nation was leaning towards buying the Russian-made Sukhoi Su-57. The television channel CNN-News18 cited Indian government sources as saying that the country was weighing an offer from Moscow for Su-57s, while no proposal about the F-35 was being considered.