Is the goal to say "Look, the F-35 is not perfect, but neither is anything else"?
LO - could be of course. But it also could be to produce a rod to beat LM with to ensure they fix it.
My understanding is that hook/main gear geometry plays a very important part in hook beviour during touchdown. Because of the F-35 layout and stealth needs the fore and aft distance between the hook and the mainwheels is clearly less than recent USN service types.