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NEW DELHI – A British F-35B fighter jet, which had been stuck at an Indian airport for over a month and led to a flood of memes and cartoons online, successfully departed on Tuesday after a U.K. engineering team completed repairs, according to an Indian official.
The fighter jet, known for its state-of-the-art design and valued at approximately $115 million, was unable to leave Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala’s southern region due to technical difficulties.
The jet experienced both hydraulic issues and auxiliary power unit malfunctions, which have now been resolved, stated the official from Thiruvananthapuram, who wished to remain unidentified due to the lack of authorization to talk to the media.
The aircraft will fly to a British aircraft carrier in Darwin, Australia, the official said.
The British High Commission and U.K.’s Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The jet was on a regular sortie in the Arabian Sea in June when it ran into bad weather and couldn’t return to the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, the HMS Prince of Wales. The aircraft diverted to Thiruvananthapuram and landed safely June 14.
The stranded military aircraft, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, triggered A.I.-generated memes in India. A Kerala tourism department social media post showed the plane on the tarmac surrounded by coconut trees with a fictitious five-star review: “Kerala is such an amazing place, I don’t want to leave. Definitely recommend.”
The top official at the tourism department, K. Biju, said the post was in “good humor.”
“It was our way to appreciate and thank the Brits who are the biggest inbound visitors to Kerala for tourism,” Biju said.
Another cartoon posted on X showed the plane enjoying snacks with a group of locals against a scenic background.
There was speculation in India that the aircraft could be partially dismantled and transported in a cargo plane if repairs were unsuccesful. The U.K. Ministry of Defense dismissed the speculation in a statement.
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