and there goes any stealthiness it actually had
Not necessarily, since the f-35 was always designed to carry external munitions. Besides you can jettison or release any fuel tanks and stand-off weapons and still retain internally mounted weapons.
The original spec was for a stealthy aircraft capable of internally carrying 2x2000 lb. J-weapons. You can't fit those in an F-22.
That spec was for a "first couple days of the war" scenario, before air superiority has been achieved. After air superiority has been achieved then you slap on the LAUs and turn the thing into a bomb truck.