When it comes to stating any weakness or shortfall in kit that is still in use, the 'public' does not have a 'right' to know. To state the obvious, if a weakness is public knowledge it's also known by the bloke that wants to exploit it.
There should and must be accountability, but that is for Parliamentary Defence Committee and the NAO, not so John Smith the Sun reader can tell Jonny Foreigner the Weapon Wielding Madman the best way to take out our faulty equipment and vulnerable troops.