F-35 News. The USAF tries to control the message.

via Breaking Defense.

“This organizational change will help ensure a unified voice for operational integration of the F-35 across the Air Force as we collectively work towards bringing this remarkable new aircraft into our combat inventory.” Harrigian said in a statement.
Harrigian is the Air Force’s assistant deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements. He replaces Col. Carl Schaefer, who heads to Edwards Air Force Base in March to command the 412th Test Wing in March.
Perhaps the most important but obscure bit of this change is that the Air Force’s voting authority in the JPO moves from Air Combat Command to the F-35 Integration Office. That gives the service’s senior leadership a tighter rein on the program. As the statement notes, “all senior leader communication within the Air Force will flow through the integration office.”
“Assigning a general officer on the Air Staff will ensure we have a single point of contact with the Joint Program office empowered to speak on behalf of the Air Force for any aspect of the F-35 program,” Gen. Mark Welsh, Air Force Chief of Staff, said in the statement.

Wow.

Air Combat Command has been booted as the voting authority?

There is now a single point of contact for the USAF on this program?

I fully expect all news to be even more sanitized than it has been.  We will hear nothing but sunshine, rainbows and unicorns are being produced.  They will lie in an attempt to blunt criticism of this airplane.

I thought it was in trouble before.

Now I'm convinced.