Wait a minute, I've had a great idea...
So the F35-B's that we now have to buy can hover right? And they're also all fitted with in-flight refuelling probes.
Why not fit the tanker with a hose and drogue system on a big crane/moveable arm? Then the F35 hovers alongside the tanker and can start taking on fuel on the wing.
I'm a bloody genius me :)