By Ankit Jakhar and Priyansh Pandey
When HMS Prince of Wales and its carrier strike group docked in Singapore for Operation High mast, it was missing one of its F-35 Lightning – numbered 34, which made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport at approximately 9:30 PM IST on 14th June. According to sources, low fuel levels prevented a safe return to the carrier, exacerbated by adverse monsoon weather and rough sea conditions (1). The jet declared an emergency and was detected and identified by the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) of the Indian Air Force (IAF), which cleared it for recovery, IAF said in a statement.
THE UNFOLDING SCENE: WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR
A Royal Navy AW101 Merlin helicopter arrived from HMS Prince of Wales the same night, carrying three technicians and a replacement pilot to assess the jet. A hydraulic system failure was identified during pre-departure checks, grounding the aircraft (2). Royal Navy technicians attempted to repair the hydraulic fault, critical for the F-35B’s short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capabilities. These efforts were unsuccessful due to the complexity of the issue and a lack of specialized equipment locally (3).
Monsoon conditions (Thiruvananthapuram was under an orange alert for heavy rain) further complicated repairs. The jet remained parked in Bay 4 under tight security by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), exposed to monsoon rains. The British Royal Navy declined an offer from Air India to move the jet to a hangar, citing concerns over “protected technologies” to prevent unauthorized access to the stealth fighter’s advanced systems(4). While expressing gratitude for India’s support, the British High Commission said that the aircraft had subsequently developed an engineering issue whilst on the ground, precluding its return to the Carrier (5).
After nearly two weeks of refusal around June 26th, the UK accepted an offer to move the F-35B to Air India’s Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) hangar at Thiruvananthapuram airport. By the 28th of June, the repair efforts intensified, and UK aviation engineers arrived in Thiruvananthapuram with specialized equipment to repair the jet in the MRO hangar. The focus was on resolving the hydraulic failure, with airlifting via a C-17 Globemaster III remaining an option if repairs failed (8).
THE STEALTH PARADOX: HOW WAS THE IACCS OF THE IAF ABLE TO DETECT A STEALTH FIGHTER?
A certain wave of speculation is gaining ground with the suspicion of the UK testing the Indian AD system, more so post Operation Sindoor, where it had shown stellar performance. The main objective might have been to test radar coverage against 5th-generation aircraft and Electronic warfare testing in real time. To maintain the plausible deniability of the same, it didn’t shed the Luneberg Lens. However, the IAF’s declaration says that our IACCS discovered the F-35. Some military aviation enthusiasts claim the jet might have been locked, resulting in an inability to return and causing an emergency landing. The hesitation to move the plane to MRO in the initial phase further fuels this suspicion, as the degradation of sensitive sensor tech and paint in hot and humid conditions is significantly higher, especially when the location was under orange alert. Others point out that the crown jewel of the British Royal Navy running out of fuel without a pre-planned diversion or contingency is highly unlikely. If true, it raises significant questions about mission planning and logistical support. Even if there was supposedly a fuel shortage and hydraulic fault, calling engineers from Lockheed Martin raises eyebrows. Reaching out to the OEM for simple maintenance is rare. If anything, it indicates either some tinkering with the sensor system or the firmware as a whole.
QUESTIONABLE SILENCE IN WESTERN MEDIA
Amid the unusual stay of the F35 we hardly see this story getting front page or prime time in Western media, whether it is to sush the undeniable stealth characteristics of F35, which got broken and hide the ultra complexity of the jet citing not getting repaired in this many days; or to maintain strategic silence over something which was a covert mission to check upon Indian radar and defense capabilities, the lack of transparent coverage only further brews speculations. A marketing stunt gone wrong? Some people also connect it with the US’ offer to sell F-35 to India, especially as Pakistan has been offered 5th generation platforms such as the J-35 by China and the Turkish TAI-KAAN. The subdued coverage prompts further questions: Is there a deliberate effort to manage the narrative? Whatever the reason, the lesson for Indian media is to execute delicate information warfare tactics, especially after CDS Anil Chauhan recently stressed that 15% of army time was lost to fake news during Op Sindoor.
GEOPOLITICS – A POSSIBLE MISTRUST BETWEEN ALLIES ??
India and the UK harbor a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” and a possible unwanted outcome of the prolonged stay of F35 might result in mistrust between allies stemming from the arising Fake information – something that third-party nations might try to get leverage on. The hiccups were visible in the initial hesitation of the UK in moving the jet into the MRO facility, citing “protected tech” as India doesn’t possess the tech of the 5th-gen F-35B available only to NATO and allies. With the FTA signed recently, the backtracking of relations in a volatile world order is not something both nations would desire. Although maintaining co-operation and regular communication with the UK all the time India didn’t showcase a soft stance as was her legacy or one would expect, from IAF’s tweet on the landing day, to showcasing CISF guarding the jet, along with charging fee for each passing day India did posture a strong reply to psychological pressure testing
THE HILARIOUS TURN
The matter has created significant buzz around social media with netizens putting the jet on OLX in a viral, humorous post.
In a further meme post, Kerala Tourism advertised its hospitality with “no one ever wants to leave” and a 5-star review by the F-35.
Based on the last reports, the F-35B is likely still in the MRO hangar at Thiruvananthapuram airport, undergoing repairs by the UK engineering team. If repairs have been unsuccessful, the jet may be in the process of being prepared for airlift via an RAF C-17 Globemaster III. The aircraft remains under CISF security, and the UK continues to work closely with Indian authorities. The British High Commission’s last stance emphasised cooperation with India and no concerns about espionage, countering speculation about security risks.
Sources
- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/f-35-still-stuck-kerala-airport-to-charge-uk-for-parking-100m-5th-gen-jet-despite-two-weeks-of-repairs/articleshow/122082759.cms?from=mdr
- https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/uk-f-35b-lightning-jet-stranded-kerala-airport-13900361.html
- https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/british-f35-grounded-thiruvananthapuram-repair-team-arrives-air-lift-jpr0ft9f
- www.independent.co.uk/asia/india/f35-stealth-fighter-jets-emergency-landing-kerala-b2776413.html?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1750827843
- https://idrw.org/british-royal-navy-f-35b-stranded-in-thiruvananthapuram-raf-c-17-airlift-considered/
- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/f-35-still-stuck-kerala-airport-to-charge-uk-for-parking-100m-5th-gen-jet-despite-two-weeks-of-repairs/articleshow/122082759.cms?from=mdr
- www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/uk-engineers-arriving-in-kerala-to-repair-stranded-f-35b-jet/articleshow/122119676.cms
- https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Jun/25/uks-stranded-f-35-fighter-to-be-repaired-in-india
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