Three weeks after a British F-35B stealth fighter jet made an emergency landing in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, a 40-member UK engineering team is set to arrive on July 5 to carry out critical repairs — or initiate partial dismantling — of the $110-million aircraft.

The prolonged grounding has sparked global curiosity, online satire, and growing concerns about reputational damage to the Royal Navy’s most advanced warplane.

The trouble began on the night of June 14, when the F-35B, deployed aboard the HMS Prince of Wales in the Arabian Sea, was forced to abort its sortie due to bad weather. Low on fuel and unable to return to its carrier, the pilot diverted to Thiruvananthapuram airport, where the aircraft landed safely at 9:30 pm.

Here’s how a precautionary landing escalated into a longer ordeal.

On June 14, the fighter jet took off from the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea at 8.50 pm.

Around at 9.20 pm, the pilot contacted Thiruvananthapuram airport, declared low fuel, and requested an emergency landing.

Though the jet landed safely, it developed a technical snag thereafter. A hydraulic failure was detected during routine pre-flight checks when it was preparing for departure.

At 11:15 pm, a Royal Navy helicopter flew in with a two-man repair crew, who stayed overnight.

The next day, June 15, six more Royal Navy technicians arrived to assess the situation.

But the aircraft grounding was extended due to persistent mechanical issues. By June 16, the hydraulic failure had become the confirmed reason for the extended grounding.

The UK had planned to send a 40-member aviation team to Kerala on a special flight to address the issue on July 2. The trip was postponed due to undisclosed reasons, according to PTI.

Despite several rounds of assessments by engineers from the HMS Prince of Wales, the fighter jet could not fly out.

The F-35B remains parked at a bay in Thiruvananthapuram and is being guarded round the clock by a six-member team from the aircraft carrier.

On June 27, the British high commission confirmed that the UK had accepted India’s offer to move the jet to the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at the airport.

"The aircraft will be moved to the hangar once UK engineering teams arrive with specialist equipment, thereby ensuring minimal disruption to scheduled maintenance of other aircraft,” a statement said.

The high commission also said that the situation is under control.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been coordinating with UK authorities to assist with logistics and technical support.

The IAF, Thiruvananthapuram airport authorities, and CISF are involved in managing the jet’s location and overseeing security protocols.

The F-35B’s ownership and operational responsibility lies with the British Royal Navy. The aircraft was manufactured by Lockheed Martin, whose certified engineers may also become involved in the repair or dismantling operations.

The high-tech stealth jet's prolonged presence on Indian soil, parked and soaked in monsoon rains, has sparked a flurry of memes and satirical posts online.

One viral post listed the aircraft for sale online at a discounted price of $4 million, claiming it included “automatic parking, brand-new tyres, a new battery and an automatic gun to destroy traffic violators.”

The Kerala government’s tourism department posted on X that read: “Kerala, the destination you’ll never want to leave.”

The post featured an AI-generated image of the F-35B on a runway surrounded by coconut palms — echoing the state’s tourism tagline, “God’s own country.”

But it comes at a cost. Experts warn of reputational damage.

Dr Sameer Patil, director of the Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology at the Observer Research Foundation, said the jet’s continued stranding "adversely affects the image of the F-35Bs and the Royal Navy.”

“The jokes, memes, rumours and conspiracy theories are affecting the credibility of the British Royal Navy,” he told the BBC. “The longer the jet stays stranded, the more disinformation will come out.”

With no repair yet and no confirmed timeline for recovery, UK officials are now considering partial dismantling of the aircraft. This would allow it to be airlifted by a C-17 Globemaster military transport aircraft.

The C-17, used by the UK, US, India and others, can carry large military hardware including Apache attack helicopters.

The F-35B jet will have to lose its wings in order to fit into the cargo plane, according to India Today.

"The C-17’s cargo hold is 26 metres long, but its width is just 4 metres, which means an F-35 cannot be loaded unless the wings are detached," the reported quoted a defence expert as saying.

In 2019, a similar airlift of a Lockheed Martin F-35 jet was conducted from Eglin Air Force Base in Florida to Hill Air Force Base in Utah, proving that such a move is feasible — albeit complex.

Dismantling must be carried out by Lockheed Martin-certified engineers.

The F-35B, valued at over $110 million, is among the most advanced stealth fighter jets in the world. Dismantling poses serious data breach risks, concerning its stealth and combat capabilities.

Each screw on the jet would need to be sealed with unique codes to prevent potential theft of sensitive technology, according to NDTV.

Even if dismantling proceeds, some repairs will be required beforehand. For this, the 40-member engineering team that was previously postponed is now expected to arrive in Kerala on July 5.