Latest visuals showed the British Navy aircraft, part of the UK Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. An official confirmation is awaited.
The Philippines is rapidly emerging as a key frontline state in the growing US-China rivalry in the Indo-Pacific, as Washington continues to deploy advanced military assets to the archipelago, which lies within the strategic "first island chain" a line of defence that includes Taiwan, Jap
The fifth-generation jet, operated by the British Navy, had landed in Thiruvananthapuram after being unable to return to the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, which was operating in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The aircraft encountered bad weather while on a routine sortie outside I
Since its unscheduled landing nearly three weeks ago, the presence of the advanced stealth fighter has generated considerable public curiosity and turned into a quirky marketing trend in the state.
A British High Commission Spokesperson said that the UK has accepted the offer of a space in the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, and are in discussions to finalise arrangements with relevant authorities.
The visiting team will assess the condition of the stranded jet to determine whether it can be repaired locally or needs to be dismantled and transported back to the United Kingdom.
According to a Defence officials, "British navy officials are expected to arrive here by the end of this week to carry out repairs and take the aircraft back to its base."
A UK F-35B fighter jet is undergoing repairs at Thiruvananthapuram Airport after an engineering issue. It will be moved to a maintenance facility once UK teams arrive. The UK thanked Indian authorities for their support and confirmed the aircraft will resume service after safety checks.
UK High Commission on Thursday thanked India for their constant support after the British F-35B fighter jet made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport nearly a fortnight ago.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the purchase of 12 new F-35A fighter jets, underscoring the need for enhanced national security "in an era of global uncertainty".