Stranded British F-35 fighter jet finally leaves Indian airport after five-week ordeal
A British F-35B fighter jet that was grounded at an Indian airport for five weeks took off on Tuesday and is now en route to Australia, an Indian official has confirmed.
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The $115 million aircraft, regarded as one of the world's most advanced stealth fighters, has been stranded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport for over a month due to technical issues.
After being repaired by a team of UK engineers, the military jet is now airborne and heading to a British aircraft carrier near Darwin, Australia.
It's take-off was confirmed by a Thiruvananthapuram official, who wasn’t authorised to speak with the media and requested anonymity.
They stated that the jet, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, had been stranded due to hydraulic issues and problems with its auxiliary power unit, both of which have now been fixed.
The British High Commission and U.K.’s Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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VIDEO | Thiruvananthapuram: British Royal Navy F-35B Lightning fighter jet, which made an emergency landing at the international airport over a month ago, takes off.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 22, 2025
Known to be one of the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world and worth over USD 110 million, the jet… pic.twitter.com/DjWHCtU9eB
The aircraft was unable to return to the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, after it ran into bad weather whilst on a routine mission in the Arabian Sea in June.
The jet diverted to Thiruvananthapuram and landed safely on June 14, where it has remained ever since.
Its extended stay at the Indian airport fuelled speculation that the aircraft could be partially dismantled and transported in a cargo plane if repairs were unsuccessful.
However, the UK's Ministry of Defence dismissed the suggestion in a statement.
The grounding of the fighter has sparked a wave of AI generated memes and cartoons on Indian social media.
In one viral post, uploaded by the Kerala tourism department, the plane is shown sitting on the tarmac surrounded by coconut trees, alongside a fictitious five-star review: “Kerala is such an amazing place, I don’t want to leave. Definitely recommend."
Another cartoon, posted on X, shows the plane enjoying snacks with a group of locals against a scenic background.