A Royal Air Force aircraft is forced to perform an unscheduled landing at Kagoshima Airport in Japan.
In a routine training mission on August 10, 2025, a British F-35B Lightning II fighter jet from the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales made a safe emergency landing at Kagoshima Airport in Japan. The incident occurred at around 11:30 a.m. local time due to an in-flight technical issue involving the engine.
The pilot was unharmed, and the aircraft was subsequently moved from the runway to a taxiway to allow commercial flights to resume after a 20-minute airport closure. The runway at Kagoshima Airport, located on Kyushu island, accommodates domestic and short-haul international flights. Although the brief closure caused minor commercial flight delays, no injuries or further complications were reported.
The technical fault leading to the emergency diversion was reported in advance to air traffic control by the pilot. The UK Ministry of Defense confirmed that the issue was unrelated to a previous mechanical problem that had stranded another F-35B from the same carrier in India for over a month. Royal Navy and Royal Air Force engineers are assessing the jet in Japan, and it is currently awaiting spare parts for repair before returning to the carrier. The repair process is expected to be straightforward due to available technical support and parts supply from allied bases nearby, such as Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni.
This emergency landing took place during the HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group's deployment in the western Pacific as part of Operation Highmast. The strike group has 18 F-35Bs and had recently arrived near Japan after participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre in Australia. This deployment also included historic joint exercises involving British jets landing on the Japanese naval ship Kaga.
The F-35B jet's inspection and investigation are expected to take several days to complete. The findings may have implications for future training missions involving the aircraft in Japan. The JSDF (Japanese Self-Defense Forces) was present at the scene of the incident to assist with the inspection and investigation.
In summary:
- Aircraft: British F-35B Lightning II from HMS Prince of Wales
- Date & time: August 10, 2025, approx. 11:30 a.m. local time
- Location: Kagoshima Airport, Japan
- Cause: In-flight technical issue (engine problem)
- Outcome: Safe emergency landing, pilot unharmed, temporary 20-minute airport closure
- Current status: Aircraft undergoing assessment, awaiting parts for repair before return to carrier
- Context: Part of a UK Carrier Strike Group deployment and joint exercises with Japanese and US forces.
In the aftermath of the alleged engine issue, industry experts are analyzing the financial impact on the aerospace industry, considering the disruptive nature of the emergency landing. Meanwhile, the sports world is eager for the upcoming games between the JSDF and the British combat jet pilots, questioning whether the incident may affect the sports outcome.
