Article related to research:

Pentagon awards $4.7bn F-35 LRIP-8 contract to Lockheed

http://www.airforce-technology.com/news/newspentagon-awards-47bn-f-35-lrip-8-contract-to-lockheed-4448274

I found this article interesting because it illustrates the number of aircraft and cost associated in the next Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) contract. Also included in the LRIP award is manufacturing as well as all the sustainment resources to include Spares and Support Equipment. Currently their are 10 LRIPs in the F-35 procurement strategy. LRIP-8 will begin in 2016 and bring the total number of delivered aircraft to just over 200. F-35 OT&E is scheduled for 3rd quarter 2017 through 3rd quarter 2018. OT&E must be complete before the program can enter Full Rate Production. That's a lot of time to wait for stability in the system design. Another risk in concurrent acquisition.