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The Combat Air Public Relations Problem
An RAF F-35B, stranded at an airport in Kerala province for several weeks, casts a pall over the image of the UK's air combat power in the midst of Highmast, an operation intended to declare full operational capacity for the fleet.
Images and AI-generated renditions of a stranded Royal Air Force (RAF) F-35B jet in India have recently been shared by multiple media outlets and on social media. One of the first places that this incident was initially picked-up was a local tourism organisation post published as a publicity stunt – not the first time that a mishap involving an F-35 has attracted critical attention. While the incident will undoubtedly generate lessons for the UK Lightning Force, it is also an example of how such mishaps can be exploited by foreign states seeking to undermine public trust in the UK’s armed forces and equipment.
Operation Highmast
Since 14 June 2025, a British F-35B was stuck at Thiruvananthapuram airport in Kerala province, India due to a technical problem. Early repair attempts appear to have been made. Yet, by the beginning of July a specialist team had to be flown in from the UK to rectify a reported issue with the aircraft’s hydraulics and Auxiliary Power Unit. This suggests that the technical issue itself was a relatively serious one that could not be repaired locally. It was only by this Tuesday, 22 July, that the F-35B was able to leave on its own power. Due to the highly sensitive nature of the aircraft and its associated systems, the F-35 was being kept under armed guard at all times at the airport.
Although technical problems are an unavoidable fact of life when operating high-end military equipment, the timing of this public incident is inopportune for UK Lightning Force. Part of Carrier Strike Group’s (CSG25) goal with Operation Highmast is to declare full operational capability for the UK’s F-35B fleet, an aircraft operated by both the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. The stranding of one of the Air Group’s F-35Bs in India is unlikely to prevent this goal and the aircraft’s return to flying condition is good news. A return journey by air using a C-17 Globemaster, a procedure that necessitates the removal of the wings from the F-35 fuselage, would have cast a shadow over the geopolitical and signalling goals of CSG25. Meanwhile, HMS Prince of Wales arrived in Australia to contribute to Exercise Talisman Sabre.
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Original article link: https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/combat-air-public-relations-problem
