At some point one has to put a broom stick in the merry-go-round of development and make a decision to buy something, else one ends up with a 20+ yr development period. Can't THINK where that's happened before...
No you don't. You get companies to provide you with the service you require with the best they can offer at the time. As and when they can provide a better service (more operational hours within a given time window or better functionality), they get paid more for doing so. That way you don't get stuck with half-baked equipment which is obsolete by the time you get it. The supplier is always striving to improve the product, get more hours on station, and capability in a wider range of conditions, as that earns them more.
You are only tied to the supplier for as long as they have the best product on the market, so they have to keep upping their game.