New Delhi : Don’t fix something that ain’t broken,” goes an old saying. But at times one needs to break down things to fix them. And that’s exactly the case with the British Royal Navy’s F-35B stealth jet, grounded at Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram International Airport since June 14.
The question has popped up because the British F-35B, a fifth-generation stealth jet that made an emergency landing, remains stranded in Kerala despite multiple attempts to repair it on-site. Its technical malfunction remains unresolved. With no clear timeline for recovery, British officials are now working on alternative plans to retrieve the jet. Partial dismantling has emerged as the most viable option to facilitate its return by military transport.
The incident of a fourth-generation fighter jet remaining stranded for an extended period of time drew global attention, and sparked cheeky social media memes. Kerala Tourism also joined in, posting on X, Kerala, the destination you’ll never want to leave. The aircraft of choice to transport the F-35B is likely to be the C-17 Globemaster III.
The Globemaster is the standard heavy-lift cargo aircraft used by the UK, the US, and the Indian Air Force. It can carry around 77 tonnes and almost two F-35s in its cargo hold. But that’s not where the problem lies. The F-35 is about 14 metres long, with a wingspan of around 11 metres,” Unnithan told media house.
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