Good comments as always.
There is a strong presumption in DC that the F-35B will survive because the Marines will not let it perish. But personally I sense a disturbance in the Force: the new and next generation flag ranks in the CV are seeing their future capability and affordability being sacrificed to the ambitions of Marine air. Basically, through the 2020s, the Navy gets 25 CV jets per year, which is not the historic replacement rate, but spends far more on TacAir acquisition than today because of the B.
The floating of F/A-XX - at the Navy League show this week - is not an accident. "Oh by the way, we're taking the first step in procuring a hot new fighter jet" is a tasty goat to dangle in front of the reptiles, and the Navy flags are smart enough to know it. Note also that Boeing briefed UltraBug for the first time in DC.
GK - I don't think unmanned CV has gone away. But for the moment it's being reoriented to persistence rather than the J-UCAS mission.
As for Lewis Page - even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Engines - Where are you getting 2016-17 ISD? The SAR says that no IOC will be announced until next year, and is specific that IOT&E will not complete until 2019. For a program of this size to try to declare IOC before IOT&E is complete (and reports out) would be a nightmare.