Britain sees progress in F-35 tech transfer talks

Britain is more optimistic about the prospects of buying the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter after crucial talks with U.S. officials over technology transfers went well, a British embassy spokesman said on Monday.

The sophisticated, radar-evading F-35 will cost an estimated $256 billion for the 2,593 jets that the United States and Britain plan to buy.

Britain's top arms buyer, Lord Drayson, told a U.S. Senate committee last week that his country would be unable to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on buying the aircraft unless the United States gave it access to some of its classified technology.

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