After being grounded for more than a month, the British Navy’s F-35B stealth fighter jet finally departed from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on Tuesday. The aircraft had made an emergency landing on June 14 due to a hydraulic system malfunction.
The fighter jet, part of the UK Navy’s aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, was on a routine sortie when the snag occurred, forcing it to divert to Thiruvananthapuram — an approved emergency recovery airfield — where it was granted immediate landing clearance.
The Indian Air Force provided critical support during the emergency, including facilitating refuelling and logistics. Initially parked in an open bay, the F-35B was later moved to the Air India hangar, where a UK Royal Air Force technical team carried out repairs over several weeks.
The F-35B, a 5th-generation stealth aircraft built by Lockheed Martin, is known for its cutting-edge capabilities, including short take-off and vertical landing. Despite its combat prowess, the jet became a viral sensation in Kerala for a very different reason.
Images of the parked jet drenched by Kerala’s monsoon rains flooded social media, prompting a wave of memes. Kerala Tourism led the trend with a cheeky post on X: “Kerala, the destination you’ll never want to leave.” This was followed by humorous posts from Milma, Kerala Police, the State AIDS Control Society, and private brands, all capitalizing on the jet’s extended stay.
The incident, while technically challenging, turned into a light-hearted online moment — but also underscored India’s growing strategic cooperation and emergency infrastructure readiness.
