UK F-35B fighter makes emergency landing in Japan; Second such incident in 2 months

Representative image

A British Royal Air Force F-35B Lightning II fighter jet made an emergency landing at Kagoshima Airport in southern Japan on Saturday morning after the pilot reported a possible technical fault, reports cite Japanese authorities as saying.

The aircraft, operating from the Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, was participating in joint drills with Japan’s Self-Defense Forces, the US military, and other partners in the Western Pacific. The exercise is scheduled to continue until August 12.

Airport officials have been quoted as saying said the incident occurred around 11:30 am local time when the pilot sought clearance for an emergency landing due to suspected equipment malfunction. The fighter landed safely and was moved to a taxiway for inspection within 20 minutes, allowing the runway to reopen. Six civilian flights were delayed by around 20 minutes. No injuries were reported.

Japan’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the cause as “an aircraft malfunction” and said the jet remains parked near the runway for safety checks.

The precautionary landing comes less than two months after another UK F-35 fighter diverted to Kerala’s Kannur International Airport with a reported technical issue during a transit flight.

The F-35B is the STOVL variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, which is designed to operate from aircraft carriers and short airstrips. It is equipped with cutting-edge stealth and sensor capabilities but has experienced recurring technical issues and maintenance problems.

The HMS Prince of Wales and its carrier strike group are on a significant Indo-Pacific deployment, exercising with regional navies in high-profile exercises following increased maritime security collaboration involving India, Japan, and allied nations.