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16h ago

UK F-35B to Return From Kerala as Cost Report Exposes £71 Billion Bill

Engineers have nearly completed repairs on a hydraulic fault, preparing the jet for airlift back to Britain next week.

British Royal Navy fighter jet, stranded for about a month due to a technical issue, is being moved to a designated facility at Thiruvananthapuram airport for assessment by British engineers.
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A British F-35B fighter jet, which has been stranded since June 14, 2025 is seen at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, in the southern state of Kerala, India, on June 26, 2025. (AP Photo)
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Overview

  • Engineers moved the jet into a maintenance hangar on July 6 and expect to airlift it back to Britain next week.
  • The jet made an emergency landing on June 14 after encountering low fuel and severe monsoon weather during exercises with HMS Prince of Wales.
  • The National Audit Office projects lifetime costs for the UK’s F-35 program at roughly £71 billion, more than triple the Ministry of Defence’s initial estimates.
  • Mission-capable rates for the UK’s F-35 fleet remain well below targets due to maintenance delays, spare parts shortages, and personnel gaps, the report found.
  • Kerala’s tourism department turned the stranded fighter into a viral meme, sparking a wave of AI-generated posts and cartoons.