Thiruvananthapuram: Weeks after the British fighter jet F-35B made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, a team of aviation engineers from the UK reached Kerala on Sunday morning.

A Royal Air Force Airbus A400M Atlas took off from the airport here in the evening after leaving behind the technical experts. The team has already started assessing the fighter jet, which is currently at the airport’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility.

The jet, worth over USD 110 million and considered one of the most advanced fighter aircraft globally, made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram Airport on June 14. According to a spokesperson for the British High Commission, the jet developed an engineering issue. The F-35B is the only fifth-generation fighter jet with short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capabilities, making it ideal for operating from smaller decks, austere bases, and ships.

Days after the emergency landing, the Indian Air Force stated it was providing all necessary support for the "rectification and subsequent return" of the aircraft.

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Known simply as the 'Lightning' in British service, the F-35B is the STOVL variant of the fighter jet, designed to operate from short-field bases and air-capable ships.

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