Engines, thank you for your comprehensive response - appreciated.
I would like to qualify my original quote, if I may:
My sources tell me (they who are currently working on the QE) that the flight deck surface has 'lifted' because of the incorrect process of laying it, in the first instance - nothing to do with the 'type' of material used....maybe that will surface once deck trials are completed.
Noise signature - I have a contact in Pax who flies these. He tells me they are still having discussions about the noise signature of the STOL F35. It is of such an intensity - they are struggling to come to terms with it, to date.
Now, if one is to accept that the RN has already built this into their calculations already (protecting deck crews), I wouldn't hold ones breath. Noise cancellation headgear for aircrew was widely available for over a decade commercially - before the MoD purchased it for their use way back in the early '90's. God only knew what the flight deck crew were wearing at the time!
I operated off Bulwark, Invincible and Illustrious as aircrew for a decade and "suddenly (with regard to noise issues on the flight deck) - nothing happened"! Which is why so many of us subsequently learned through our commercial medicals (after leaving the mil) that our hearing was damaged.