Late on Saturday night, June 14, 2025, a British F-35B Lightning-II fighter jet, which was a member of the HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala.
Due to bad weather conditions surrounding the HMS Prince of Wales, the aircraft reported a critical fuel shortage while on a sortie over the Indian Ocean and was unable to safely recover onto its carrier. This led to the incident. At around 9:30 PM, the pilot immediately requested emergency landing clearance, and airport officials quickly declared an emergency, guaranteeing a safe, incident-free landing.
Being completely aware of the circumstances, the Indian Air Force (IAF) worked with all pertinent organizations to ensure the aircraft’s safe landing and to offer the support that was required. The sophisticated stealth fighter, which is well-known for its short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capabilities, is presently parked in the airport bay while it awaits authorization from the central government to begin refueling operations. The aircraft is still parked at Thiruvananthapuram airport as of Sunday morning.
One of the most sophisticated fighter jets in the world is the F-35B, a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft built by Lockheed Martin. It is a key component of the air strategies of the US, UK, Israel, and NATO due to its advanced data-sharing infrastructure, sophisticated electronic warfare systems, and cutting-edge stealth technology. Based at RAF Marham in Norfolk, UK, the aircraft is flown by the Royal Air Force.
Currently serving in the Indo-Pacific area, the HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group recently finished joint maritime exercises with the Indian Navy in the western Arabian Sea. These exercises included tactical maneuvers and coordinated anti-submarine operations.
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Even though these emergency landings are uncommon, military aviation experts point out that they are not out of the ordinary, particularly considering the operational difficulties and erratic weather encountered during carrier operations.
Regarding the details of the emergency landing, neither Lockheed Martin nor the UK Ministry of Defence have released comprehensive statements. The event highlights the operational difficulties of cutting-edge military aircraft as well as the value of global collaboration in guaranteeing flight safety during multinational deployments.