UK's F-35B Fighter Jet Makes Emergency Landing In Japan, Months After Similar Incident In India

Last Updated:August 10, 2025, 20:12 IST

A British Royal Air Force F-35B fighter jet made an emergency landing at Japan's Kagoshima International Airport due to a technical glitch, similar to a recent incident in India.

Royal Air Force F35B fighter jet makes emergency landing at Kagoshima Airport, no injuries (X)

A British  Royal Air Force F-35B fighter jet made an emergency landing at Japan’s Kagoshima International Airport on Sunday after the pilot experienced a technical glitch mid-air, local media reported.

According to Kyodo News, the flight operations were affected at the airport as the runway was closed for around 20 minutes following the incident.

Officials at the Japanese airport said the incident occurred around 11:30 am (local time) when the pilot sought permission for an emergency landing due to a suspected equipment malfunction. The aircraft was moved to a taxiway for inspection.

This is a second such incident in recent weeks involving a British F-35B fighter jet after one of the aircraft remained grounded in India for over a month.

On June 14, an F-35B fighter jet, en route from the UK to Australia, made an emergency landing at Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram airport after the aircraft encountered a hydraulic system fault.

The fighter jet was out on a routine sortie when it developed a snag and could not land on the ship. The plane reached the Thiruvananthapuram airport, which was designated as the emergency recovery airfield, and requested emergency landing permission.

Despite initial inspections by a 24-member team from the British Royal Air Force and subsequent repair efforts by engineers from the UK Royal Navy, the advanced stealth aircraft remained grounded, prompting widespread curiosity over how such a state-of-the-art jet could be stranded for weeks on foreign soil.

Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force provided all required support and assisted in the process, including refuelling.

Following the failed repair attempts, a 14-member engineering team from the UK Ministry of Defence was dispatched with specialised equipment to assist in the recovery and maintenance of the jet. The aircraft was moved to a secure hangar at the airport for detailed assessment.

The fighter jet finally took off from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on July 22 after remaining grounded at the airport for over a month.

The jet, worth over $110 million, is one of the most advanced fighter planes in the world. The F-35B is the only fifth-generation fighter jet with short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capabilities, making it suitable for small decks, austere bases, and ships.

(With inputs from agencies)

Shobhit Gupta

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben...Read More

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben...

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First Published:

August 10, 2025, 20:12 IST

News world UK's F-35B Fighter Jet Makes Emergency Landing In Japan, Months After Similar Incident In India

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