Pitch Black 2018 Participating Aircraft...the F-35 is no where to be found!

via Airforce.gov.au

Flying Participants

Country Assets

Australia

10 x F/A-18F
3 x E/A-18G
15 x F/A-18A
2 x C-130J
1 x C-17
1 x KA350
2 x C27J
1 x E-7A
2 x PC-9
1 x KC-30

Canada

1 x CC130TT

France

3 x RAFALE
1 x CN-235

India

4 x SU30MKI
1 x C130J

Indonesia

8 x F-16

Malaysia

5 x F/A-18D
1 x A400M

Singapore

6 x F-16
5 x F-15
1 x KC-135
1 x G550

Thailand

6 x GRIPEN

USAF

12 x F-16CM
2 x B-52

USMC

10 x F/A-18C/D         
2 x KC-130J
8 x MV22
6 x A/UH-1

Contractor Support

Air Affairs 7 x Learjet 35
Raytheon 1 x EWTS Learjet 35
Top Aces 3 x ALPHA Jets
 

I would have missed the fact that Pitch Black 2018 was soon to kick except for an e-mail from Kris (thanks bro!).  This is an interesting line up of aircraft and should make for an excellent training mission, assuming that it isn't too scripted!

Question.

This is a big time exercise in the Pacific.

Where is the F-35?  Why isn't the Air Force or Marine Corps trotting out there latest and greatest to play?