MiTasol
1st Lieutenant
A large part of getting an aircraft into production is money. If congress (in the US) only funds 13 airplanes that is what you get, 13 airplanes. However the manufacturer, plans accordingly and only invests in enough tooling, floor space and workers to build the 13 aircraft in the time span specified in the contract. Which means the follow up contracts take time to fill as more floor space, workers and tooling have to be provided in order to increase production.
Well put and something we all tend to forget