2 thoughts from a total outsider:
If NAB is correct and we couldn't scrape together
to man a Kittyhawk class boat, who is going to man both QE boats at c 3000 between them?
If F-35 is a stealthy aircraft why are we bothered about overflight of neutral nations? They presumably would be none the wiser, unless the F-35 is not stealthy, which begs the question; why buy it?