A British Royal Navy F-35B Lightning stealth fighter, valued at US$110 million, has been stranded at Thiruvananthapuram airport for nearly two weeks after making an emergency landing on June 14 due to bad weather and a hydraulic snag.
The jet, operating from HMS Prince of Wales, remains parked in the open, guarded by Central Industrial Security Force soldiers, as it awaits a specialist team from the UK for repairs.
The Royal Navy declined India’s offer to move it into a hangar, citing concerns over protected technologies.
A spokesperson for the British High Commission in Delhi told The Independent: “We are working to repair the UK F-35B as quickly as possible. We thank the Indian Authorities for their continued support.”
