From the F-35 SI ...
1.4.151
Since its inception the UK F-35 workforce was under resourced.
This resulted in an inability to generate sufficient aircraft to deliver the required operational capability. The establishment was below that required, resulting in insufficient availability of workforce. ...[snip]... Even to deploy 113 personnel on Op FORTIS, 617 Sqn had to borrow personnel from 207 Sqn.
And that's just one sqn [with 8 ac] going aboard QNLZ with all it's resources. Now try doing bare-base dispersal of assets in numerous locations. Where do the people [mainly engineers] come from, when 617 had to borrow from 207 to put their handful of jets on board.