Britain threatens to pull out of F-35

[Papewaio]

But aren't most weapon systems that are sold have local contractors perform the maintenance (be it a spin off of the parent company that made it or another)... so surely these contractors are going to see all these systems at some point and know how they operate as they maintain them and hence 'be an external security risk'.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Fixing a small part of something and knowing how the whole thing works are very different. I can field strip an L85 but I can't tell you whats so cool about the barrel.

Anyway, with fighter craft the Air Force does maintainance.