Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) of Production and Deployment Phase

LRIP is the first effort of the Production and Deployment (P&D) phase authorized typically at Milestone C with the MS C ADM. This effort is intended to result in:

• Completion of manufacturing development in order to ensure adequate and efficient manufacturing capability and to produce the minimum quantity necessary to provide production or production-representative articles for IOT&E;
• Establish an initial production base for the system;
• Permit an orderly increase in the production rate for the system, sufficient to lead to full-rate production upon successful completion of operational (and live-fire, where applicable) testing.
  The LRIP quantities are first formally documented earlier in the acquisition process at the Milestone B decision by the Milestone Decision Authority (MDA). The LRIP quantity for an MDAP (with rationale for quantities exceeding 10 percent of the total production quantity documented in the Acquisition Strategy) shall be included in the first Selected Acquisition Report (SAR) after its determination. The LRIP quantity shall not be less than one unit. In consultation with the PM and the operational sponsor, the DOT&E validates the number of production or production-representative test articles required for live-fire test and evaluation (LFT&E) , initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) of programs on the OSD T&E Oversight List and all necessary systems for training and maintenance. For a system that is not on the OSD Operational Test & Evaluation (OT&E) Oversight List, the operational test agency (OTA), following consultation with the PM, shall determine the number of test articles required for IOT&E.
  Sources: (DoDI 5000.85 Major Capabilities Acquistion and 10 U.S. Code § 4231 - Major systems: determination of quantity for low-rate initial production)