You could almost be forgiven for thinking the USN is taking F35Cs under duress rather than of choice... which I think is exactly what is happening.
Déjà vu relative to the USAF/USN F-111 program in the 1960s. The USN decided the F-111 wasn't the carrier fighter for their mission based on design shortcomings. Then the search (design), for the one that was, began (the F-14).
Now, the USAF will be left with trying to figure out how the F-35A actually fits into their overall mission, given the shortcomings identified so far, same as what happened with the F-111. The USAF F-35A replacement aircraft will follow the USN's replacement aircraft for the F-35C.
History repeats itself…