UK F-35 Fighter Jet Incident in India: What Happened? Full Timeline & News

✈️ Introduction

On June 14, 2025, a Royal Navy F‑35B Lightning II—part of the UK’s HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group—made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, Kerala, due to a suspected hydraulic failure after facing bad weather and low fuel, according to reports. Though knees-for higher-altitude diversion, the jet couldn't rejoin its carrier and has since been grounded—sparking logistical, security, and diplomatic issues.

🗓️ Timeline of Events (Day 1 → July 6)

June 14 (Day 1)

• Emergency landing at ~9:30 pm IST.

• Indian Air Force’s IACCS cleared the flight and coordinated safe landing coordination with civilian air traffic control.

• Royal Navy technicians flown in that night by Merlin helicopter to start the assessment.

June 15–16 (Days 2–3)

• Initial fixes failed; hydraulic fault confirmed.

• CISF placed round‑the‑clock guards around the aircraft.

• The jet parked openly at Bay 4 under security measures.

June 17–18 (Days 4–5)

• A larger UK maintenance contingent arrived to troubleshoot further.

• The jet received post-landing refueling, but remained grounded for repairs.

• Royal Navy tech team expected to bring specialized parts .

June 19–20 (Days 6–7)

• After a week onsite, hydraulic system still problematic .

• Engineers planned a shift to hangar pending UK/US equipment arrival.

• Bigger repair team awaited; airlift via cargo jet under consideration.

June 24–26 (Days 10–12)

• Emergency highlighted in UK’s House of Commons; Armed Forces Minister reassured security remains tight.

• Discussions began about potentially transporting the F‑35 disassembled via military cargo plane.

• Airport considered billing the UK government for VIP‑bay parking .

June 27–30 (Days 13–16)

• Jet possibly moved into hangar to avoid monsoon exposure.

• Local tourism boards leaned into the incident, with Kerala Tourism making it a viral marketing opportunity.

July 1–3 (Days 17–19)

• Engineers still couldn’t fix the problem; dismantling for airlift emerged as likely solution.

• Kerala Tourism’s AI‑generated F‑35 “vacation ad” went viral, using humor to spotlight the region .

• UK confirmed plan to move the jet into MRO facility once parts arrive.

July 4–6 (Days 20–22)

• UK High Commission noted that India is cooperating fully and repairs are ongoing.

• Diplomatic assurances continued; local authorities providing support to crew.

• As of July 6, engineers are still working on-site, dismantling appears imminent unless repair completes; departure timeline remains uncertain.

✅ Conclusion

The grounded F‑35 has become a complex farce and diplomatic challenge—it highlights the difficulties of sustaining advanced aircraft abroad while also creating a public-relations coup for Kerala tourism. Key takeaways:

• Technical issue: Hydraulic failure remains unresolved after eight days of repair attempts.

• Security measures: Indian CISF and UK personnel have ensured tight protection of stealth tech.

• Recovery options: UK exploring larger repair contingent or airlift—not just local fixes.

• Diplomatic tone: India‑UK cooperation is strong; UK government is covering cost zones.

• Cultural spin: The “stranded jet” has been gleefully leveraged in viral tourism campaigns.

As of July 6, the F‑35 remains "on holiday" in God’s Own Country, but all signs point to an exit in dismantled form—hopefully reassembled and back in service within weeks, if all systems go.