Yup! The FAA sent loads of pilots out there to get "essential cat and trap trg" before we get F35. But as soon as we went back to the STOVL jet, the reason for the pilots changed to "getting essential deck experience on a big carrier."
The F18 route was set up approximately a year prior to the demise of the Harrier. This was as an extra source for the FAA to generate pilots for F35 as the Harrier pipeline was producing, at best, 4 a year = not enough.
Naturally cats and traps was an added benefit while the C was the choice but above all that, the experience flying a fourth gen multirole platform in the maritime environment was and is the most important benefit to lead into F35.
Typhoon or SuperHornet, mmmmmm let me think.....