I think the F-35 is just the latest unneccesarily overcomplex and over expensive warplane.
We'd be better off with a greater number of less sophisticated, but still very capable aircraft, and more money spent on non-aviation assets like troops, vehicles, small boats and so on.
I think the F-35 programme is likely to be scaled back more and more as the reality of the situation sinks in.
We don't need the thing. No-one does.