A British Royal Navy F-35B stealth fighter jet that had been grounded in southern India for more than five weeks is finally set to take off.
Airport officials confirmed on Monday that the jet has been deemed airworthy and is expected to leave Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.
The jet, part of the HMS Prince of Wales fleet, was forced to divert and land in Kerala on June 14 after encountering adverse weather during a flight over the Indian Ocean.
Upon landing, it reportedly developed a technical fault, leading to an unexpectedly long stay on the tarmac.
Attempts to repair the aircraft initially involved engineers from the Royal Navy.
However, when the issue persisted, the UK Ministry of Defence dispatched a larger technical team — comprising 14 experts — along with specialised equipment to the airport two weeks ago.
“The jet is set to be pulled out of the hangar today,” an airport spokesperson said on Monday. While no specific departure time or route details have been released, preparations for its return journey are underway.
The prolonged presence of the $110 million fighter — capable of vertical landings and short take-offs — sparked considerable attention online, with images of the jet soaking in the Kerala monsoon becoming fodder for memes and jokes.
Social media users quipped that the jet was reluctant to leave “God’s own country.”
Speculation even emerged that the aircraft might need to be disassembled and transported aboard a cargo plane if repairs failed.
However, with its systems now reportedly back in order, such contingency plans have been shelved.
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Despite repeated queries, UK defence officials and the British High Commission in India had declined to share repair updates during the ordeal.
The case was even mentioned in the British Parliament, highlighting the rarity of such an extended grounding of an advanced military asset on foreign soil.
Final details, including stopovers for refuelling and logistics for flying the repair crew and equipment back to the UK, remain under wraps.
