I wonder how many of the UK pers who are relatively relaxed about this, would be as relaxed if members of other 5 eyes nations were performing contract flying training with the Russians at the height of the Cold War….
While it is undoubtedly true that conditions of service in the RAF have degraded over time, this doesn’t justify what has occurred. Denials such as “we handed over nothing tactical” is frankly, not the point. If you make their flying training and/or flight testing more efficient and effective, you’re eroding a western edge against people who the the international community (including the UK, witness where the carrier and recent Typhoon deployments have ended up) may soon end up in a fight.