A British Royal Navy F‑35B stealth fighter jet—valued at approximately £100 million—has been grounded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala since 14 June 2025, when it made an emergency landing due to low fuel after failed attempts to return to its carrier, HMS Prince of Wales . Initially, it was parked outdoors in Bay 4 and has remained in the open amid low flight traffic . The aircraft developed a persistent hydraulic failure, and early repair efforts by a British maintenance crew were unsuccessful . Despite offers from Air India to move it into a hangar, the Royal Navy declined—citing the need to protect the jet’s sensitive onboard technology .

With nearly two weeks passed and repairs still pending, airport authorities are now considering levying a parking fee on the UK’s government for the unscheduled stay of this high-value military asset—a rare case of a fifth-generation aircraft being left idle overseas.

. Meanwhile, engineering teams from the UK and US are en route, and logistics options like airlifting the jet back via freighter are under consideration . The incident highlights both growing India‑UK defence cooperation and the logistical hurdles of deploying cutting‑edge military hardware in foreign environments.

sources