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Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-110

§4231 Major Systems: Determination of Quantity for Low-rate Initial Production

Title 10 › Subtitle A — General Military Law › PART V — ACQUISITION › Subpart F — Major Systems, Major Defense Acquisition Programs, and Weapon Systems Development › CHAPTER 322 — MAJOR SYSTEMS AND MAJOR DEFENSE ACQUISITION PROGRAMS GENERALLY › SUBCHAPTER II — CONTRACTING › § 4231

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Department of Defense must decide how many items to buy for low-rate initial production when it approves the milestone B decision. The official who makes that milestone B decision must set the number. Any increase later needs that official’s approval. The buy must be at least one operationally configured production unit unless the milestone B decision sets a different amount. The Secretary of Defense must report this number in the first Selected Acquisition Report after it is set. If the number is more than 10 percent of the total planned production, the Secretary must say why. Low-rate initial production means making the smallest number needed to supply production-configured items for operational tests, start an initial production base, and allow a steady rise to full-rate production after testing. For naval ships and military satellites, it instead means the smallest quantity and rate that preserve the mobilization production base and that the Secretary finds feasible under regulations. Definitions: milestone B decision — approval to begin system development and demonstration by the designated DoD official. SAR — Selected Acquisition Report under section 4351.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §4231

Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Determination of Quantities To Be Procured for Low-Rate Initial Production.—
(1)In the course of the development of a major system, the determination of what quantity of articles of that system should be procured for low-rate initial production (including the quantity to be procured for preproduction verification articles) shall be made—
(A)when the milestone B decision with respect to that system is made; and
(B)by the official of the Department of Defense who makes that decision.
(2)In this section, the term “milestone B decision” means the decision to approve the system development and demonstration of a major system by the official of the Department of Defense designated to have the authority to make that decision.
(3)Any increase from a quantity determined under paragraph (1) may only be made with the approval of the official making the determination.
(4)The quantity of articles of a major system that may be procured for low-rate initial production may not be less than one operationally configured production unit unless another quantity is established at the milestone B decision.
(5)The Secretary of Defense shall include a statement of the quantity determined under paragraph (1) in the first SAR submitted with respect to the program concerned after that quantity is determined. If the quantity exceeds 10 percent of the total number of articles to be produced, as determined at the milestone B decision with respect to that system, the Secretary shall include in the statement the reasons for such quantity. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “SAR” means a Selected Acquisition Report submitted under section 4351 of this title.
(b)Low-Rate Initial Production of Weapon Systems.—
Except as provided in subsection (c), low-rate initial production with respect to a new system is production of the system in the minimum quantity necessary—
(1)to provide production-configured or representative articles for operational tests pursuant to section 4171 of this title;
(2)to establish an initial production base for the system; and
(3)to permit an orderly increase in the production rate for the system sufficient to lead to full-rate production upon the successful completion of operational testing.
(c)Low-Rate Initial Production of Naval Vessel and Satellite Programs.—
With respect to naval vessel programs and military satellite programs, low-rate initial production is production of items at the minimum quantity and rate that (1) preserves the mobilization production base for that system, and (2) is feasible, as determined pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2021—Pub. L. 116–283, § 1847(c)(1)(B), amended section catchline generally. Prior to amendment, section catchline read as follows: “Low-rate initial production of new systems”. Pub. L. 116–283, § 1847(c)(1)(A), renumbered section 2400 of this title as this section. Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1847(c)(1)(A)(i), as amended by Pub. L. 117–81, § 1701(o)(6)(C)(ii), substituted “section 4351” for “section 2432”. Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1847(c)(1)(A)(ii), substituted “section 4171” for “section 2399”. 2001—Subsec. (a)(1)(A). Pub. L. 107–107, § 821(c)(1), substituted “milestone B” for “milestone II”. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 107–107 substituted “milestone B” for “milestone II” and “system development and demonstration” for “engineering and manufacturing development”. Subsec. (a)(4), (5). Pub. L. 107–107, § 821(c)(1), substituted “milestone B” for “milestone II”. 1996—Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 104–106, § 4321(b)(13), substituted “this paragraph” for “the preceding sentence”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–106, § 1062(d), struck out “(1)” before “With respect to”, redesignated subpars. (A) and (B) of former par. (1) as pars. (1) and (2), respectively, and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “For each naval vessel program and military satellite program, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report providing— “(A) an explanation of the rate and quantity prescribed for low-rate initial production and the considerations in establishing that rate and quantity; “(B) a test and evaluation master plan for that program; and “(C) an acquisition strategy for that program that has been approved by the Secretary, to include the procurement objectives in terms of total quantity of articles to be procured and annual production rates.” 1994—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 103–355, § 3015(1), substituted “this section” for “paragraph (1)” and “engineering and manufacturing development” for “full-scale engineering development”. Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 103–355, § 3015(2), (3), added par. (4) and redesignated former par. (4) as (5). Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 103–355, § 3015(2), redesignated par. (4) as (5) and inserted after first sentence “If the quantity exceeds 10 percent of the total number of articles to be produced, as determined at the milestone II decision with respect to that system, the Secretary shall include in the statement the reasons for such quantity.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2021 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 117–81 applicable as if included in the enactment of title XVIII of Pub. L. 116–283 as enacted, see section 1701(a)(2) of Pub. L. 117–81, set out in a note preceding section 3001 of this title and note below. Amendment by Pub. L. 116–283 effective Jan. 1, 2022, with additional provisions for delayed implementation and applicability of existing law, see section 1801(d) of Pub. L. 116–283, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1996 AmendmentFor

Effective Date

and applicability of amendment by section 4321(b)(13) of Pub. L. 104–106, see section 4401 of Pub. L. 104–106, set out as a note under section 2220 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 4231

Title 10, Armed Forces

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110