British Aviation Engineers To Arrive In Kerala On July 5 To Repair Stranded F-35B Jet

Nearly three weeks after a high-profile emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, a team of British aviation engineers is set to arrive in Kerala on July 5 to begin repairs on the F-35B Lightning fighter jet of the UK’s Royal Navy.

According to sources from the Airports Authority and defence personnel, as per PTI, a 40-member specialist team is expected to land on a special flight to address the technical malfunction that grounded the stealth fighter, which is part of the UK’s HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group.

The team was initially scheduled to arrive on July 2, but their visit was reportedly delayed for unspecified reasons.

 

#WATCH | Kerala: Latest visuals of the F-35 at Thiruvananthapuram airport. British navy officials are expected to arrive here by the end of this week to carry out repairs and take the aircraft back to its base: Defence officials

The F-35 jet had made an emergency landing at the… pic.twitter.com/8MYaKC0K7l

— ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2025

ALSO READ: Kerala Tourism's 'Aapada Mein Avsar' Moment: Grounded British F-35 Jet Becomes State's Brand Ambassador

F-35B Jet Worth Over $110 Million

The F-35B Lightning, valued at over USD 110 million, is widely regarded as one of the most advanced multirole fighter aircraft in the world. The jet made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram Airport on June 14, following what officials described as an “engineering issue.”

Meanwhile, Kerala Tourism turned the incident into a viral marketing opportunity. A witty social media campaign featuring the jet amid Kerala's scenic backdrop, with the caption "Kerala, the destination you'll never want to leave," has captured online attention — turning a mishap into a promotional win. Following this, several people commented on the post with AI generated images of F-35B jet at various places in Kerala including a tea shop and enjoying Banana chips at 'God's own country'. 

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