2012年11月3日，美国加利福尼亚州爱德华兹空军基地，美国空军 F-35A“闪电”II 常规起降型系统发展与验证机开始进入大迎角试飞阶段，将分架次从20度逐步增加至设计限制的50度。（EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., November 19, 2012 – An F-35A Lightning II conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft rapidly expanded its high angle of attack (AOA) test envelope to its 50 degree limit in only four flights during recent flight testing here. F-35A test aircraft are limited to AOAs of 20 degrees until their controllability is proven at a higher AOA limit of 50 degrees. The ability to rapidly progress to the maximum AOA indicates a sound aerodynamic and flight control system design. High AOA testing will continue on the F-35A for several months testing the capabilities of all design loadings and the flight control system.）

2012年5月9日，埃格林空军基地 F-35A 进行第500架次飞行，由埃里克·史密斯中校驾驶。（Lt Col Eric Smith flight in F-35 at Eglin Air Force Base，Eglin Completes 500TH F-35 Sortie.）

2011年5月13日，美国加利福尼亚州爱德华兹空军基地，第一架生产型 F-35A“闪电”II 联合攻击战斗机（编号：AF-06）飞越罗杰斯干湖床。（The second production model F-35A Lightning II aircraft flies above the compass rose of Rogers Dry Lakebed at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., May 13, 2011. The aircraft, designated AF-6, ferried to Edwards AFB from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, following the Air Force formally accepting the fighter into its inventory the day before. The first production jet, AF-7, was delivered to Edwards May 6, making six total F-35 aircraft in the test program on base.）

2012年10月19日，美国德克萨斯州沃思堡，英国空军第二架（BK-2）F-35A“闪电”II 常规起降型联合攻击战斗机交付，同时交付的还有一架美国海军陆战队 F-35B（BF-16）短距/垂直起降型。它们在完成检查后将飞往新家-佛罗里达州埃格林空军基地。（FORT WORTH, Texas, October 19, 2012 – The second United Kingdom Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35 Lightning II takes off from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base today for delivery to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Eglin’s eleventh U.S. Marine Corps F-35B ferried to the Emerald Coast with the U.K. jet. The aircraft, known as ZM136 and BF-16, departed at approximately 8:06 a.m. CDT with U.K. Royal Air Force Sqn. Ldr. Jim Schofield and Marine Corps Maj. Adam Levine at the controls, respectively, for the 90-minute ferry flight to Eglin. ZM136 joins the first United Kingdom F-35B, which arrived at the base for operational test and evaluation in July. The F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing variants are the fifteenth and sixteenth F-35s to ferry to Eglin this year.）

2012年10月19日，美国德克萨斯州沃思堡，英国空军第二架（BK-2）F-35A“闪电”II 常规起降型联合攻击战斗机交付，正在起飞前往其暂时的家-佛罗里达州埃格林空军基地。同时交付的还有一架美国海军陆战队 F-35B（BF-16）短距/垂直起降型。（The second United Kingdom F-35 Lightning II takes off from NAS Fort Worth JRB, Texas, for delivery to Eglin AFB, Fla., Oct. 19, 2012.）

2012年10月19日，美国加利福尼亚州中国湖海军航空武器试验场，美国空军第二架（AF-01）F-35A“闪电”II 常规起降型系统发展与验证机开启内部武器舱进行首次 AIM-120 中程空空导弹投射试验，该机由马修·菲利普斯少校驾驶。（An F-35A test aircraft completed the first aerial weapon release of an AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) from an F-35 Oct. 19, 2012. The aircraft, known as AF-1, jettisoned the instrumented AIM-120 over the China Lake, Calif., test range from an internal weapons bay. AF-1 / Pilot: Maj Matthew 'Fuze' Phillips/ Flight 255/ Test 434/ AIM-120 Weapon Separation #1）

2012年10月19日，美国加利福尼亚州中国湖海军航空武器试验场，美国空军第二架（AF-01）F-35A“闪电”II 常规起降型系统发展与验证机由马修·菲利普斯驾驶进行首次内部武器舱 AIM-120 中程空空导弹投射试验。（EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Oct 22, 2012 – An F-35A test aircraft, flown by U.S. Air Force Maj. Matthew Phillips, completed the first aerial weapons release of an AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) from a conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft, Oct. 19. The aircraft, known as AF-1, jettisoned the instrumented AIM-120 over the China Lake test range from an internal weapons bay. This was the second in-flight weapons release in three days for AF-1 as it completed the release of a 2,000 pound GBU-31 BLU-109 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) Oct. 16. The F-35A 5th Generation fighter is designed to carry a payload of up to 18,000 pounds using 10 weapon stations. The F-35A features four internal weapon stations located in two weapon bays to maximum stealth capability. The CTOL aircraft can also utilize an additional three weapon stations per wing if required.）

2012年10月19日，美国加利福尼亚州中国湖海军航空武器试验场，美国空军第二架（AF-01）F-35A“闪电”II 常规起降型系统发展与验证机由马修·菲利普斯驾驶进行首次内部武器舱 AIM-120 中程空空导弹投射试验。（EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Oct 22, 2012 – An F-35A test aircraft, flown by U.S. Air Force Maj. Matthew Phillips, completed the first aerial weapons release of an AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) from a conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft, Oct. 19. The aircraft, known as AF-1, jettisoned the instrumented AIM-120 over the China Lake test range from an internal weapons bay. This was the second in-flight weapons release in three days for AF-1 as it completed the release of a 2,000 pound GBU-31 BLU-109 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) Oct. 16. The F-35A 5th Generation fighter is designed to carry a payload of up to 18,000 pounds using 10 weapon stations. The F-35A features four internal weapon stations located in two weapon bays to maximum stealth capability. The CTOL aircraft can also utilize an additional three weapon stations per wing if required.）

2012年8月17日，美国加利福尼亚州爱德华兹空军基地，美国空军第二架（AF-01）F-35A“闪电”II 常规起降型系统发展与验证机由瑞恩·莱因哈特驾驶进行机翼颤振飞行试验，以确保飞机的结构能够经受住各种气动载荷，测试结果显示F-35战机可在1.6马赫的速度下开启或关闭武器舱门。（EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Feb 11, 2013 – An F-35A Lightning II conventional takeoff and landing aircraft, known as AF-1, completed its final test mission for clean wing flutter recently. Flutter testing was conducted to ensure the jet’s structure could withstand various aerodynamic loads verifying the F-35A’s design. The mission, flown by Maj. Ryan “Gunner” Reinhardt, marks the conclusion of three years of testing that now allows the F-35A to proceed with tests continuing to expand its flight envelope and validate predictions in real-world scenarios. The testing demonstrated the F-35 is clear of flutter, at speeds up to 1.6 Mach and 700 knots with weapon bay doors open or closed, critical to performing its combat mission. Data collected proves the F-35A flight dynamics maintains a large margin between its designed airspeed and airspeeds where possible flutter could occur.）

2012年12月1日，美国加利福尼亚州爱德华兹空军基地，美国空军AF-01号 F-35A 常规起降型系统发展与验证机在其第272次飞行时达到500飞行小时。（Second F-35A Reaches 500 Flight Hour Milestone，EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Jan. 23, 2013 – The second Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, known as AF-1, joined the 500 flight hour club recently during its 272nd flight. It joins AF-2 which passed the milestone June 26, 2012. The conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) fighter began flight operations when it made its inaugural flight Nov. 14, 2009. The F-35A flight test program has completed more than 43 percent of its overall test plan. Overall, the program’s three variants have achieved nearly 5,900 flight hours by 55 aircraft in the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) and Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) programs.）