Thiruvananthapuram, June 18 (UNI) The F-35 British Royal Navy fighter, which made an emergency landing at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on the night of June 14, remains grounded following suspected issues with its hydraulic system.

Though the emergency landing is said to be for refuelling purposes, the fighter flight is currently parked at the bay, saying efforts are being made to rectify its hydraulic failure, sources said.

A team of technical experts, who reached here from the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, failed to rectify the technical issues.

Meanwhile, Captain Mike has reportedly returned to the HMS Prince of Wales in the same RAF helicopter that brought in the support crew and a second pilot.

In a message on X, the CISF said, "CISF swiftly secured the Royal Navy F-35B fighter jet after its emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram Airport. Accredited for excellence in aviation security, CISF continues to uphold a prompt, proactive approach to emergencies — protecting national interests and global trust."

The F-35B Lightning is a stealth aircraft operating alongside the Typhoon. A multi-role machine, Lightning is capable of conducting air-to-surface, electronic warfare, intelligence gathering and air-to-air missions simultaneously.

Lightning has advanced sensors, mission systems and low-observable technology, otherwise known as stealth, that allows it to operate undetected in hostile environments. Lightning is a short take-off and vertical landing aircraft that can operate from aircraft carriers and in austere environments.

UNI DS ARN