Outside of that? Sure. Particularly if the crippling allows for an element of surprise and keeps that tech out of other peoples hands. Even without that though every country that isn’t spending the most it can on its military is choosing to ‘cripple’ it in favour of other things.
Patents require the invention to be disclosed. Now the Atomic Energy Commission had some special classified patents that were exempt from that rule, but that is very much an exception. The whole societal bargain behind patents is limited time monopoly in exchange for disclosure.
Outside of that? Sure. Particularly if the crippling allows for an element of surprise and keeps that tech out of other peoples hands. Even without that though every country that isn’t spending the most it can on its military is choosing to ‘cripple’ it in favour of other things.