British Royal Navy’s F-35 fighter jet likely to be partially dismantled and airlifted back to UK
British Royal Navy’s F-35 fighter jet likely to be partially dismantled and airlifted back to UK
Digital Desk: The British Royal Navy's F-35 fighter jet, which made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala on June 14, is expected to be partially disassembled and transported back to the United Kingdom aboard a military cargo plane, according to reports.
Despite several attempts to fix the aircraft on-site, the fifth-generation stealth jet remains grounded owing to an unresolved engineering issue. Sources familiar with the situation acknowledged that efforts to restore flight readiness have thus far been ineffective.
In addition to the delay, no engineering team from the United Kingdom has arrived in India yet. A group of thirty engineers was expected to arrive in Thiruvananthapuram to work on repairs, but they have yet to arrive, according to sources.
With no timetable for the aircraft's retrieval, British officials are developing other methods to retrieve the jet. Partial disassembly has emerged as the most plausible alternative for allowing its return by military transport.
The F-35B, a member of the HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, was operating 100 nautical miles off the coast of Kerala when bad weather and low fuel prompted an emergency diversion to Thiruvananthapuram. The Indian Air Force aided the safe landing by providing refueling and logistical support.
However, when the fighter jet prepared to return to its carrier, a hydraulic breakdown was discovered during pre-departure inspections.
The problem is considered critical since it could jeopardize the jet's ability to take off and land safely. A tiny Royal Navy team of three technicians attempted to rectify the defect but were unable due to the problem's intricacy.
The aircraft has been parked at the airport's Bay 4 under the protection of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). Despite the monsoon rains in Kerala, the Royal Navy first rebuffed Air India's offer to relocate the jet inside a hangar. Later, the British Navy agreed to transport the jet to a hangar.
