Thiruvananthapuram, June 28
Two weeks after it made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport, the UK’s F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet continues to remain grounded, awaiting a specialised team of engineers.
In the meantime, the high-tech jet has become the subject of viral jokes and memes across social media.
Renowned for its short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capabilities, the fifth-generation fighter -- part of the UK’s HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group -- was returning from joint maritime exercises with the Indian Navy in the Indo-Pacific when it was forced to land in Kerala’s capital.
Despite its cutting-edge design and engineering pedigree, the jet has been lying idle in the open for 14 days now, enduring Kerala’s punishing heat and torrential rains.
A team of British officials who had earlier flown in failed to resolve the technical issue. Now, a full-fledged team, including senior engineers from Lockheed Martin -- the American manufacturer of the F-35 -- is expected to arrive in the coming week to fix the persisting snag.
Social media, meanwhile, has had a field day. One widely shared post features an image of the stranded aircraft with a mock caption offering it “for sale,” inviting bids from interested buyers.
Another popular discussion draws a parallel with a classic Malayalam comedy film, Vellanakalude Nadu, directed by Priyadarshan and starring Mohanlal.