Typhoon93:
My personal opinions:
IOC for the USAF version of the F-35 in 2016 is a pipe dream. Call it development in progress. The USAF brass are trying to find a way to present a delay of IOC to the US Congress to preserve both funding and aircraft levels that were predicated by the 2016 IOC date. Actually, they will be seeking additional funding for the F-35. Blaming the high usage of older aircraft leading to a shortage of mechanics is a clever way to disguise current problems and additional ones that will crop up as time goes on with the current F-35 and new ones to come. IOC declared before most systems (offense & defense) are in place and fully operational is risky business for the pilots in real combat situations should they occur. Think 2020 as the year that most systems function (some will not) on the USAF F-35s and that's not to say the entire aircraft functions at all as originally promised.