‘Grateful to India for support and collaboration’: UK thanks India as British F-35B jet goes under repair in Thiruvananthapuram

British Royal Navy’s F-35B fighter jet update: The restore work of the British Royal Navy’s F-35B fighter jet has began after it modified into as soon as brought correct into a hangar at Thiruvananthapuram Global Airport, nearly three weeks after it made an emergency landing due to this of bad climate at some stage in a sortie over the Indian Ocean, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed.

A crew of engineers from the UK, onboard the British Royal Air Force’s (RAF) Airbus A400M Atlas, has arrived in India to enact the repairs on the jet, which has been grounded on the airport since June 14.

“UPDATE: A crew of UK engineers has arrived in India to initiate repairs on the UK F-35 B plane. Repairs are underway on the plane, which has now been moved to the repairs hangar. We are grateful for the persevered toughen and collaboration of the Indian authorities,” the UK MoD mentioned in its assertion.

The fifth-expertise jet, operated by the British Navy, had landed in Thiruvananthapuram after being unable to return to the plane carrier HMS Prince of Wales, which modified into as soon as working within the Indian Ocean Space (IOR). The plane encountered bad climate while on a routine sortie launch air Indian airspace and made an emergency landing.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) later confirmed that Thiruvananthapuram had been designated as the emergency recovery airfield for such scenarios.

In a submit on X, the IAF mentioned, “A Royal Navy F-35B fighter recovered off an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram Global Airport on the evening of 14 June 25. Operating from UK Plane Carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, it modified into as soon as mission routine flying launch air Indian ADIZ with Thiruvananthapuram earmarked as the emergency recovery airfield.”

It additional added, “On having declared a diversion off an emergency, the F-35 B modified into as soon as detected and identified by the IAF’s IACCS network and cleared for the recovery. IAF is providing all principal toughen for the rectification and subsequent return of the plane.”

After the emergency landing, engineers from HMS Prince of Wales tried to restore the plane nonetheless get been unsuccessful. Defence sources later confirmed that the plane had developed a hydraulic failure while trying to head away after refuelling. Following this, a specialised crew of 25 technical consultants from the British Royal Air Force modified into as soon as dispatched to India to assess and enact principal repairs.

The crew arrived in Thiruvananthapuram aboard a British RAF Airbus A400M Atlas militia plane with specialised instruments. The Lightning 2 jet modified into as soon as then moved to the Air India Upkeep, Restore and Overhaul (MRO) hangar on Sunday.

Earlier, the UK authorities had mentioned, “The UK has current the offer of a space within the Upkeep, Restore and Overhaul (MRO) facility, and is in discussions to finalise arrangements with relevant authorities. Per standard project, the plane would possibly be moved following the advent of UK engineers, who are carrying specialist instruments principal for the motion and restore project.”

The British Excessive Charge furthermore thanked India for its toughen. “We are working to restore the UK F-35B at Thiruvananthapuram Global Airport as immediate as which that you can imagine. We thank the Indian Authorities for their persevered toughen,” a spokesperson mentioned.

“The UK remains very grateful for the persevered toughen and collaboration of the Indian authorities and airport groups,” the assertion added.

The evolved stealth fighter jet produced by American aerospace giant Lockheed Martin has drawn principal public attention and has even inspired quirky local advertising and marketing and marketing campaigns within the state of Kerala. The plane is presently below round-the-clock guard by personnel from India’s Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and British personnel.

If the repairs can now not be accomplished on-position, the Vertical Take cling of-Off and Landing (VTOL)-succesful plane would possibly be dismantled and transported back to the UK utilizing a militia transport plane.