Thiruvananthapuram, July 20: Repairs on a Royal Air Force F-35B stealth fighter jet that made an emergency landing in Kerala last month have been completed, and the aircraft is expected to return to the United Kingdom early next week, pending final clearances from Indian authorities, officials said.
The fifth-generation combat aircraft, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, was grounded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport since June 14 following a reported failure in its auxiliary power unit. British technicians were flown in to carry out repairs after initial efforts by the onboard crew proved unsuccessful.
Airport officials said the jet was stationed at bay number 4 of the domestic terminal before being moved to a hangar facility on July 6, where the maintenance work was completed.
“The aircraft is now expected to fly back on July 21 or 22,” a senior airport official said, adding that the departure is contingent upon approvals from India’s Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Defence.
Meanwhile, British authorities face a substantial bill in parking and facility usage fees. The aircraft has incurred an estimated daily parking charge of ₹15,000 to ₹20,000, based on its size and weight, as well as the amenities used by the crew.
Parking fees are being collected by the airport for each day the aircraft remained on the tarmac, while charges for the use of the hangar facility will be billed by AI Engineering Services Ltd., which oversees maintenance and overhaul operations.
Sources said the equipment and engineers brought in from the UK for the repairs will also be flown out in the coming days. The British Ministry of Defence has not officially commented on the nature of the technical malfunction or details of the repairs performed.
