Departure of F-35B still not decided, British Royal Navy aircraft gathering dust in Kerala
The British Navy's F-35 fighter aircraft, which was stranded after an emergency landing in Kerala due to failure of a hydraulic valve, has been moved to a hangar at Thiruvananthapuram airport. The aircraft had landed on June 14. According to officials, the date of departure of the aircraft is not yet decided.
British Navy's F-35 fighter aircraft was shifted to a Thiruvananthapuram airport hangar on Monday. The aircraft was grounded in Kerala because of hydraulic valve failure after an emergency landing on June 14.
Officials said the date of departure of the aircraft is not yet decided. The fighter aircraft operated from the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales was on a routine flight outside the Indian ADIZ on June 14 when it requested to land at Thiruvananthapuram airport, which was granted permission for an emergency landing.
The Indian Air Force facilitated all kinds of support and refuelling as well. A technical team from Britain's Royal Air Force came to repair it and the fighter jet sat parked at the airport for a few days. It was later shifted to an Air India hangar.
The F-35Bs are highly advanced stealth jets, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, and are known for their short flight range.
