The F-35 Lightning, the Royal Navy’s frontline stealth fighter, delivers air superiority and precision strike capabilities from Queen Elizabeth Class carriers.
Published Jun 20, 2025 | 11:03 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 20, 2025 | 11:03 PM
CISF personnel guarding the F 35 aircraft
Synopsis: A British Royal Navy F-35B stealth fighter jet made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport on 14 June after reportedly suffering technical issues. The unusual incident and the continued presence of the jet has sparked a social media frenzy.
The unexpected emergency landing of a United Kingdom Royal Navy F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on the night of 14 June has stirred both curiosity and comedy across Kerala and beyond – spawning wild speculation, hilarious memes, and a flurry of diplomatic and defence activity behind the scenes.
As news of the advanced fifth-generation combat aircraft’s landing broke late Saturday, social media exploded with theories.
Some linked the incident to the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, while one user even jokingly listed the fighter jet for sale on OLX, cheekily captioning it as “well-maintained, single-owner aircraft – available immediately.”
Amid the jokes, serious questions were raised about how and why such a sophisticated military aircraft from a foreign navy landed on Indian soil.
Rumours quickly swirled about possible technical malfunctions, distress calls, and joint military operations.
The F-35 Lightning, the Royal Navy’s frontline stealth fighter, delivers air superiority and precision strike capabilities from Queen Elizabeth Class carriers.
The multi-role stealth strike fighter is built by American aerospace firm Lockheed Martin and has electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities.
It features a state-of-the-art cockpit with touchscreens and a helmet-mounted display, allowing pilots to see ‘through’ the aircraft via its Distributed Aperture System (DAS).
F 35 Lightning
The STOVL-capable F-35B uses a lift fan and ski-jump ramps for short take-offs and vertical landings.
Armed internally for stealth, it carries missiles, bombs, and a 25mm cannon, reaching speeds of Mach 1.6.
With cutting-edge sensors, data fusion, and secure networking, the Lightning offers unmatched situational awareness and lethality in hostile airspace.
However, the platform has been one of the most expensive military projects, primarily funded by the United States, with contributions from its NATO allies. Its unprecedented size, complexity, ballooning costs, and delayed deliveries have been a constant source of criticism within the United States.
According to official defence sources, the stealth jet – believed to be operating from the UK aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, stationed in the Indian Ocean – developed technical issues and ran critically low on fuel while flying outside the Indian Air Defence Identification Zone.
To make matters worse, it is said, rough weather in the region made it impossible for the pilot to return to the carrier.
With no other option, the pilot issued a distress signal around 9 p.m., triggering a full emergency protocol at Thiruvananthapuram airport.
Flight tracking data shows the aircraft squawked transponder code 7700 – indicating an emergency – off the Kerala coast before safely landing at 9:28 p.m.
Airport and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel quickly secured the high-value aircraft, with the CISF later tweeting on 17 June, “Defining Security Beyond Borders, CISF swiftly secured the Royal Navy F-35B fighter jet after its emergency landing… protecting national interests and global trust.”
Though neither the Indian nor British defence establishments publicly disclosed operational details, it is learnt that the fighter was participating in a joint naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the UK’s Carrier Strike Group 25 (UK CSG25) in the Arabian Sea earlier in the week.
At the same time, Indian Air Force personnel stated that it was a routine case of an in-flight diversion for safety reasons.
It is also said that it was the IAF which fully facilitated the aircraft’s landing and subsequent handling.
However, fresh information now indicates that the aircraft may have suffered serious damage during its emergency touchdown, delaying its departure.
Unconfirmed reports stated that the British authorities have since requested additional time and an MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) facility to inspect and repair the jet.
As of now, the F-35B remains parked in an isolated bay at the airport, with four Royal Navy personnel stationed in the city to monitor the situation.
Another pilot was airlifted to Thiruvananthapuram by helicopter on 15 June.
It is said first, it was a refuelling hitch that delayed the aircraft’s departure.
Just as that was resolved and preparations for take-off resumed, the aircraft was grounded again – this time by a hydraulic system failure.
A maintenance team from the Royal Navy was flown in to troubleshoot the issue, but their efforts proved unsuccessful.
Sources said a specialist technical team from the UK is expected to arrive in the coming days to assess and address the aircraft’s condition.
An OLX post
British authorities have also sought permission from Air India to move the aircraft to one of its hangars for more extensive repairs.
Clearance for the transfer is awaited, and airport officials indicated that the fighter jet’s return to service may take at least another week.
Now, if a second attempt to fix the problem fails, plans are reportedly being drawn up to either airlift the aircraft aboard a military transport like the US Air Force’s giant C-5M Super Galaxy, or to dismantle it for relocation in parts.
At the same time, ever since the emergency landing, social media went into overdrive.
While officials remained tight-lipped about the incident, netizens wasted no time linking the jet’s arrival to everything from international espionage to regional conflict – and, of course, unleashing a flood of memes.
Some social media sleuths, armed with aviation websites and military forums, dug out the F-35’s impressive credentials.
“The Lightning combines advanced sensors and stealth technology, enabling it to operate undetected in hostile airspace,” one post read, quoting its brochure-like features.
Another user ominously noted, “Its sensor fusion and secure data links give it unprecedented situational awareness – could this be strategic positioning amidst the Israel-Iraq conflict?”
While conspiracy theories buzzed about potential surveillance missions and secret pacts, others took the comic route.
An image of the F-35 appeared on OLX with a cheeky caption: “Automatic gun to destroy traffic violations – only 4 million USD. Slightly used.”
Another viral post joked about the jet being deployed by authorities to catch overspeeding motorists on Kerala’s highways.
Amid the barrage of humour and speculation, defence analysts called for clarity.
South First has reached out to the Royal Navy for an official response, and is awaiting word on the status of the aircraft and when it will be flown back.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
