Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala – After five weeks, a British F-35B fighter jet that made headlines and became a meme has finally left Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram airport. The Royal Navy jet from HMS Prince of Wales was stranded in India due to a technical snag and bad weather during an Indian Ocean sortie.
The jet landed on June 14 after weather forced a diversion to India’s southern coast. A brief stop turned into a weeks-long stay after the advanced aircraft developed hydraulic and power unit problems, grounding it. UK engineers arrived in early July to repair the £80 million jet, a complex task due to its cutting-edge technology.
The jet's prolonged stay sparked online interest, leading to viral memes about it "reluctantly" vacationing. Even Kerala Tourism humorously joined in with AI-generated images and jokes.
Official updates on repairs were scarce. However, the British High Commission confirmed Tuesday that the UK engineering team finished work and safety checks, allowing the F-35B to resume active service.
The aircraft took off from Thiruvananthapuram and is now en route to Darwin, Australia, where HMS Prince of Wales continues joint exercises. The jet’s immediate mission, though unspecified, is likely tied to the Royal Navy’s ongoing Indo-Pacific operations.
This incident highlights the challenges of maintaining high-spec fighter jets like the F-35B abroad. The British fighter jet, once stuck, became a symbol of international collaboration and, thanks to social media, a memorable meme. Online users humorously bid farewell to the jet as it departed India, celebrating this quirky chapter.