In an unprecedented step for a fighter of its class, the UK is considering airlifting the jet aboard a C-17 Globemaster cargo plane. The British F-35B stealth fighter plane is still grounded 19 days after it made an impromptu landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala. The United Kingdom is currently considering the possibility of airlifting the jet aboard a C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft, which is uncommon for a fighter of its class, since field repair attempts have not yet been successful.
After failing to return to HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier presently stationed in the Gulf, the F-35B, a short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) version of the fifth-generation Lockheed Martin aircraft, had diverted to the Kerala airport.
Throughout its unscheduled stay, the F-35B has been under strict surveillance, with Indian security agencies and Royal Air Force personnel working together to secure the aircraft and its delicate stealth technology. Given the aircraft’s strategic significance and classified components, the dismantling and transporting operation is anticipated to be carried out with extreme accuracy. The episode has also garnered public and social media attention, especially after Kerala Tourism made a humorous joke about the jet’s extended layover on social media to highlight the state’s appeal.