A British F-35B Lightning II fighter plane that made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on June 14 has been grounded in Kerala for almost three weeks.
As efforts continue, the fifth-generation stealth plane has yet to be repaired, calling for plans for it to be disassembled and shipped back to the UK on a big military transport aircraft, most likely a C-17 Globemaster.
Moving the F-35B, one of the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world, will not be an easy operation. Though the C-17 Globemaster has been deployed by military forces around the world—including the U.S., the U.K., and India—to move heavy loads like troops and Apache helicopters, accommodating the F-35B within its cargo hold is a different challenge altogether.
As an India Today Digital report pointed out, the wings of the jet have to be taken off to accommodate the plane in the small cargo space. "The C-17's cargo bay is 26 metres long, but only 4 metres wide, so an F-35 can't be loaded unless the wings come off," a defence expert was quoted.
This would not be the first time an F-35 has been flown in such a way. In 2019, a Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter aircraft was successfully flown from Florida's Eglin Air Force Base to Hill Air Force Base in Utah, states the website of the Eglin base.
Securing Stealth Technology: Risks and Precautions
Since the F-35B costs over $110 million and contains advanced stealth systems, its disassembly has to be performed with great care so that no compromise in security is allowed.
As per NDTV, every part down to the lowest level screw will be traced through uniquely coded tags so that there is no risk of technology hijacking. Only Lockheed Martin-certified engineers are allowed to perform the disassembly process.
The British military will oversee the process closely to safeguard the classified capabilities of the jet. Any compromise of data could likely expose vital stealth characteristics and combat systems.
Current Status and Next Steps
The Royal Navy owns the aircraft and is said to be being escorted around the clock by a crew of six officers from the HMS Prince of Wales, a British aircraft carrier.
Even though arrangements are underway to disassemble the plane for carriage, some repairs have to be done prior to disassembling. In this regard, a team of 40 experts in aviation engineering will be arriving in Kerala on July 5 to inspect and prepare the plane.
The ultimate return of the F-35B to Britain will necessitate perfect coordination among British defense officials, authorized engineers, and Indian security and aviation officials so that the valuable asset is operated without compromise.
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