Britain agrees to stay in joint strike fighter partnership

Britain agreed Tuesday to remain a partner in the F-35 joint strike fighter program, resolving a contentious eight-month dispute that threatened to end the country's participation in the international aircraft project.

The agreement grants Britain's demand that the United States share sensitive strike fighter technology, which British officials said is vital to enable technicians to repair and maintain the nation's future F-35 fleet. Some U.S. officials feared that the so-called technology transfer would expose key U.S. defense secrets.

Britain is one of eight foreign countries helping the United States develop the F-35 Lightning II, a next-generation fighter being built by Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Britain's BAE systems. The international partnership is at a critical juncture this year as the member countries decide whether to participate in the decades-long production phase.

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