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A team of 14 British engineers has been dispatched to Thiruvananthapuram airport in India to assess and repair a stranded F-35B fighter jet that has been stuck there for over three weeks. The state-of-the-art aircraft had landed at the airport on 14 June after encountering bad weather during a mission in the Indian ocean. Following a technical issue, the jet was unable to return to the HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy’s flagship carrier, leading to its extended stay in India, causing curiosity and questions about the situation.
Initially, engineers from the HMS Prince of Wales had tried to assess and rectify the problem with the aircraft but were unsuccessful. Subsequently, the British High Commission announced that a team of UK engineers had been sent to the airport with specialized equipment necessary for the assessment and repair process. Video footage shared by Indian news agencies showed a British Royal Air Force Airbus delivering the technical experts to the scene and the F-35B being moved to a hangar for further inspection and maintenance.
The F-35B, a highly advanced stealth jet manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is known for its short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities, with a hefty price tag of $110 million. The aircraft is currently under continuous guard by six RAF officers, as efforts are being made to resolve the issue and make it airworthy. If the engineering team is unable to repair the jet, experts suggest that it may have to be disassembled and transported in a larger cargo plane like a C-17 Globemaster. The stranded status of the aircraft has garnered attention in the House of Commons and has become a source of amusement in India, with memes circulating about the F-35B choosing to remain in the picturesque state of Kerala
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