Valued at over US$100 million, the hi-tech aircraft was diverted to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala last Saturday following a suspected hydraulic system failure during a routine flight over international waters. The F-35B earlier took off from the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, according to several Indian media reports.
The Indian air force coordinated with local air traffic controllers to facilitate an unscheduled landing for the aircraft. Technicians were airlifted by the Royal Navy to carry out repairs on the F-35B, the reports added.
Although Thiruvananthapuram has been designated as a diversion airfield for British naval aircraft operating in the region before the incident, the sight of one of the world’s most advanced warplanes landing unexpectedly on Indian soil has sparked public speculation.
The incident should be seen as a reflection of deepening security cooperation between both countries, rather than a response to the Middle East conflicts, according to analysts.
