A decision on the repair of the British F-35B fighter jet, which has been grounded in Thiruvananthapuram for 21 days, will be made soon. A technical team from the Royal Navy will visit India to determine whether it should be repaired here or sent to Britain.
F-35B Fighter Jet: The F-35B fighter jet of the British Royal Navy has been grounded at Thiruvananthapuram Airport for the past 21 days due to a technical fault. Preparations to remove it from the airport have now begun. A special technical team will arrive in Kerala on Sunday, which will decide whether the aircraft can be repaired in India or if it will be sent back to Britain. This report provides complete information about this high-tech aircraft.
F-35B: The world's most modern fighter jet
The F-35B Lightning is an advanced fifth-generation fighter jet. Its cost is approximately $110 million, which is about 915 crore rupees. This aircraft is equipped with STOVL (Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing) technology, which allows it to take off from a short distance. This fighter jet is part of the British Royal Navy's aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales.
Emergency landing on June 14
The aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram Airport on June 14 due to a technical fault. Since then, the aircraft has been stationed in a secure bay at the airport. A six-member British team is deployed there for its security.
What will be the next course of action?
A technical team from the British Royal Navy will arrive in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. It will consist of around 25 experts who will conduct a technical inspection of the aircraft. They will determine whether the aircraft can be repaired in India or if it needs to be sent back to Britain.
India offered repair at MRO facility
The Indian government had proposed to shift the aircraft to the MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) facility located near the airport for repair. According to the British High Commission, this proposal has been accepted. Now, the aircraft will be moved to a hangar in the presence of the technical team so that it does not obstruct the operation of other aircraft.
