When a state-of-the-art UK F-35B stealth fighter made an unscheduled landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport on June 14, no one expected it would become a national talking point—and certainly not the centerpiece of a viral tourism campaign.
Forced to land due to mechanical failure and low fuel while flying back to HMS Prince of Wales, the £100-million fighter found itself grounded at a civilian airport in Kerala for over a month. As British engineers rushed in to conduct diagnostics and hydraulic system repairs, Indian security personnel cordoned off the jet, treating it as a high-value guest.
What followed was not just a cross-continental technical operation but a burst of local creativity. As the F-35B sat idle in a tropical hangar, Kerala’s tourism board seized the moment to highlight the unexpected visitor. With tongue firmly in cheek, they produced an AI image showing the jet relaxing under palm trees, captioned, “Kerala: So nice, even fighter jets don’t want to leave.”
The campaign exploded online, with memes, news features, and even merchandise quickly emerging. International news outlets like Reuters, the BBC, and Business Insider picked up the story. A fighter jet known for stealth and combat had become a smiling symbol of Kerala’s hospitality.
Meanwhile, behind the memes, a serious operation was underway. The UK dispatched a team of over a dozen defence engineers along with Lockheed Martin specialists. Spare parts were flown in via an RAF A400M Atlas aircraft, and repairs stretched on for weeks as the aircraft remained under 24/7 guard.
India, not a partner in the F-35 development program, cooperated fully but remained at arm’s length from the jet’s technical systems. Observers noted that despite diplomatic tensions elsewhere, the handling of the F-35B incident was a testament to the strength of UK-India military relations and India’s ability to host sensitive assets without controversy.
Now, with the hydraulic fault resolved, the jet has passed its final tests and is scheduled to depart between July 22 and 23. It will return to the UK’s Carrier Strike Group, currently stationed in the Indian Ocean.
For most, the story ends here—a modern marvel of engineering repaired and homeward bound. But for Kerala, it marks an accidental but unforgettable chapter in marketing history. A stealth jet designed to disappear became the most visible icon of India’s “God’s Own Country.”
Whether viewed through the lens of geopolitics, defence logistics, or creative tourism, the month-long saga of the stranded F-35B is one few will forget.
