British F-35 jet grounded in India may be dismantled

Reuters

A British Royal Navy F-35 fighter jet that has remained grounded in southern India since mid-June may soon be dismantled and transported back to the UK by military transport, as repair efforts continue to stall, according to a report by India Today.

The aircraft landed at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala on 14 June due to low fuel and poor weather.

Despite repeated efforts, engineers have been unable to resolve a technical malfunction, and the aircraft has remained grounded ever since.

Sources cited by India Today said attempts to restore the aircraft's flight readiness have failed, and the UK repair team has yet to arrive on site.

The aircraft will reportedly be disassembled and flown out on a military cargo plane if repairs remain unfeasible.

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