The British Royal Navy F-35B Lightning fighter jet, which made an emergency landing at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport over a month ago and parked here since June 14, is all set to fly back home on Tuesday, sources said.
The hydraulic system fault, due to which the aircraft had to make an emergency landing, has been rectified.
The aircraft was shifted from the hangar to the bay area on Monday after receiving clearance to fly. Airport authorities confirmed they have not been informed of the exact departure time.
According to airport sources here, the repair works of the jet, part of the UK's most advanced stealth fleet, were completed.
"It is being brought out of the hangar now. The jet will be brought to our bay, and it will fly back on Tuesday," a source said.
The exact time of its return is yet to be available, he said.
Known to be one of the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world and worth over USD 110 million, the jet has remained grounded at the international airport here since June 14 after it developed a technical snag.
The F-35B fighter jet, en route from the UK to Australia, made an emergency landing in Kerala's Trivandrum after it encountered a hydraulic failure.
The pilot, facing low fuel levels and adverse weather conditions, opted for an emergency landing at the nearest suitable airport, which happened to be in Kerala. The Indian Air Force facilitated the landing and assisted.
The source said the British jet has been kept at the hangar of Air India all these days.
Besides the landing charge, there was also daily rent and a parking fee for the aircraft at the airport, he said.
"The equipment and crew who came for its maintenance will go back in another flight," the source added.
Over the past five weeks, several efforts have been made to take the fighter jet back to its home country. The 5th-generation stealth fighter is part of the UK's HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, which is currently operating in the Indo-Pacific and recently completed joint maritime exercises with the Indian Navy.
From the outset, India’s ministry of defence has facilitated swift permissions and logistical support, underscoring the growing defence cooperation between India and the UK. “The UK remains very grateful for the continued support and collaboration of Indian authorities and airport teams,” the British High Commission noted.
On July 6, the fighter jet was towed to a hangar to fix engineering issues and hydraulic snag. A team of 24 people from the UK - 14 technical experts from the British Royal Air Force and 10 crew members - was brought to Kerala to repair the fighter jet.
