http://www.dote.osd.mil/pub/reports/...2014f35jsf.pdf
They're making progress to fixing those same problems. I couldn't find reference to dry bay fire suppression in either report. I assume it's a reference to fuel tank inerting. Reference page 19 in the link.
I don't know why people keep thinking CAS=low altitude. CAS is by definition "air action against hostile targets that are in close proximity to friendly forces and requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and maneuver of those forces." If technology allows me to do that from higher altitude, it doesn't make it not CAS. The Marine Corps has been doing CAS for decades without an A-10 like platform, and that's basically the reason for Marine Air to exist at all.
Certainly, F-XX will not be putting around below the weather in mountainous terrain like an A-10 might, but an A-10 isn't survivable on a future battlefield so it won't be flying in that environment at all. I think a more reasonable approach is to admit that western democracies will most likely be faced with a multitude of "small wars" in the future; if history is to repeat itself anyways. I think we can abandon 1 or 2 squadrons worth of F-35 and buy a couple wings worth of light attack aircraft, that while not usable in a major conventional conflict would be very useful in the types of wars we're currently involved in, and the expensive fast jets can sit alert in smaller numbers and scramble if the need arises for bigger weapons.
Sidebar:
As for ammunition,
Pele was one of the alternates to the PGU-28
FAP (check out page 16&17) round. Some crazy science fiction type **** going into the gun ammo.