A British F-35 stealth fighter jet had to make an emergency landing at Kagoshima Airport in southwestern Japan due to a technical fault on Sunday, airport officials said, according to Kyodo News.
The incident occurred at around 11:30 am, forcing authorities to temporarily close one runway for about 20 minutes. According to airport staff, the closure delayed the arrival and departure of several commercial flights.
There were no casualties reported and the plane was secured after landing. Authorities are investigating the cause of the malfunction.
Kyodo News reported that British forces have been conducting a joint drill with Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force and American forces since August 4, which will continue through next Tuesday, having dispatched an aircraft carrier strike group to the western Pacific.
Earlier, on June 14, a British Royal Navy F-35B fighter jet from the UK Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales was forced to make an emergency landing in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, after developing 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.
The Indian Air Force provided all required support and assisted in the process, including refuelling.
British Navy’s F-35 fighter jet finally took off from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on July 22 after remaining grounded at the airport for over a month following a fault in the hydraulic system.
A British High Commission Spokesperson had expressed gratitude to the Indian authorities for the support offered in the repair and recovery process of a UK F-35B aircraft.
In an official statement, the British High Commission Spokesperson said, “The UK remains very grateful for the support and collaboration of the Indian authorities and airport teams throughout the repair and recovery process.”
The High Commission Spokesperson underscored in their remarks, “We look forward to continuing to strengthen our defence partnership with India.”
This is not the first time an F-35 jet encountered serious issues. Earlier in 2025, a U.S. Air Force F-35A went down in Alaska during a training exercise, though the pilot managed to eject unharmed. More recently, a U.S. Navy F-35C crashed near Naval Air Station Lemoore in California, with the pilot again escaping safely.
F-35Bs are highly advanced stealth jets, built by Lockheed Martin, and are prized for their short take-off and vertical landing capability.
(With ANI Inputs)
