Apposite comments.
So whatever may be happening, the talk of F-35 cuts in the US is reaching high levels.
The trouble is that the plans assumed ever increasing budgets that are not happening, while operating costs are staying stubbornly high.
The acquisition community may say "we're doing what we said on flyaway cost, please don't mess with our program or say anything to worry the partners", but ACC and the CV Navy have squadrons to fill.