UK to acquire 15 more F-35B fighter jets despite Kerala grounding incident

Even as an F-35B fighter jet of the United Kingdom (UK) remains grounded at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport in Kerala, raising concerns over the operational ability of the jet, the UK government has decided to procure 15 more F-35B jets as part of enhancing its national security.

A press release issued by the UK government said that in the first phase, the UK will procure 12 new F-35A fighter jets and join NATO’s dual-capable aircraft nuclear mission in a major boost for national security.

As part of the second phase procurement plans of 27 aircraft, the UK government will purchase a combination of 12 F-35A and 15 F-35B variants, with options on further purchases examined in the Defence Investment Plan.

The UK has a declared “a headmark” (planned acquisition) of 138 aircraft through the life of the F-35 programme, said the statement. The purchase represents the biggest strengthening of the UK’s nuclear posture in a generation. The UK will deploy the jets as part of NATO’s nuclear Dual Capable Aircraft mission, strengthening NATO’s nuclear deterrence posture, it added.

Meanwhile, Ben Obese-Jecty, the Conservative MP for Huntingdon, raised the issue of the grounded F-35B in Kerala in the House of Commons on 30 June. Earlier, in an ‘X’ post, he said: “for over two weeks, one of our F-35B jets has been stranded at Thiruvananthapuram airport in India, unable to fly back to the Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group. I challenged the government over what they’re doing to return the aircraft, and crucially, ensure its tech is secure.”

In the House of Commons, he sought the response of the UK government on questions such as “What steps are the government taking to recover the plane, how much longer will that take, and how will the government ensure the security of protected technologies on the jet while it is in the hangar and out of view?”

To this, Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard responded that though grounded, the aircraft remains under close UK control, with RAF personnel guarding it around the clock, while emphasising that the security of the jet is “in good hands because Royal Air Force crew are with it at all times.”

Emergency landing

The fifth-generation combat jet, famous for its short take-off and vertical landing capabilities, has remained grounded at the Thiruvananthapuram airport since June 14 after it made an emergency landing. Though the landing was made following the adverse weather conditions in the Indian Ocean, it could not take off from here after serious engineering issues developed.

The UK authorities are of the view that the fighter jet would be brought back to the active service of the Royal Air Force once the maintenance and repair of the aircraft are completed in Kerala along with the mandatory safety checks. An expert team from the UK would arrive in Kerala soon to rectify the glitches.

Earlier, the UK government sources told The Hindu that the UK authorities would not provide details on repair and maintenance matters or on private discussions with the Government of India.

The aircraft was reportedly part of a joint naval drill conducted by the Indian Navy and the United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group (UK CSG25) in the western Arabian Sea on the first of June.