News Brief
British F-35B Fifth-Gen Fighter Jet Makes Emergency Landing In Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram Airport After Fuel Shortage
British F-35B stealth aircraft (Representative Image)
A British F-35B Lightning II fighter jet was diverted to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala for an emergency landing late Saturday night after experiencing a fuel shortage during a sortie over the Indian Ocean, NDTV reported.
"Normal occurence of diversion by F-35. IAF fully aware and facilitated the aircraft for flight safety reasons. All assistance being given, and IAF is in coordination with all agencies," the Indian Air Force said in a statement.
The stealth aircraft is part of the UK’s HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, which is currently operating in the Indo-Pacific, following recent joint maritime exercises with the Indian Navy.
The F-35B’s short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) design allows it to operate from carriers without catapults.
Developed by Lockheed Martin, the F-35 programme is considered among the most sophisticated multirole fighter platforms in active service today.
Its stealth tech, EW systems, and integrated data networks make the F-35 key to the air combat doctrines of the US, UK, Israel, and NATO allies.
As of Sunday morning, the jet continued to remain stationed at the Thiruvananthapuram airport.
