Stranded F-35 Jet to be dismantled under extreme secrecy and airlifted back to UK

Thiruvananthapuram: The British Royal Navy’s advanced F-35B  fighter jet, which has been stranded in Kerala for nearly three weeks, may soon be airlifted back to the UK aboard a C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft. The high-tech fighter made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram Airport 19 days ago, and all local repair efforts have since failed. 

To transport the fifth-generation fighter jet, the F-35B will need to be carefully dismantled. It will be a highly sensitive process that only Lockheed Martin-certified engineers are authorised to carry out. As reported by NDTV, Lockheed Martin, the American aerospace and defence company that manufactures the F-35, will coordinate closely with British military personnel to supervise the operation.

Given the aircraft’s highly classified stealth technology, advanced radar-evading coatings, and encrypted AI-powered systems, strict security measures will be enforced during dismantling and transit. Every component from panels to bolts will be logged and verified to prevent any risk of data compromise or technology theft.

The F-35B is capable of carrying nuclear weapons and features state-of-the-art data fusion and combat sensors, making it one of the most strategically important assets in modern military aviation. Valued at over $1.7 trillion, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program is the world’s most expensive and technologically advanced military project. It plays a crucial role in Western air superiority, offering unparalleled stealth, survivability, and battlefield connectivity to allied forces.

This wouldn’t be the first time such a high-stakes operation is carried out. In 2019, a similar F-35 airlift took place in the United States, when a dismantled Lightning II jet was flown aboard a C-17 Globemaster from Eglin Air Force Base in Florida to Hill Air Force Base in Utah.