For me the F-35 story is similar to the Bradley fighting vehicle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradley_Fighting_Vehicle). The same initial corruption during design and developments, the same problems at beginning of deployment, which even culminated with Hollywood to mock Pentagon in the movie "The Pentagon Wars" (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0144550/). Only to end-up with a work horse that was very much appreciated during Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns.

F-35 it seems that is at that point in its story where the bad is behind and the value it brings to the table just started to unfold. As a member of a NATO country, that is in close proximity of Russia, I'd rather have some of them F-35 stationed in my US military bases that we house on our territory.