Be it Sherman Tanks or Typhoons the concept is the same.

Settle on a Make/Model/Mk and send them on down the line and then get into the business of Modifcations and improvements.

Commonsense thinking and should not be very difficult to grasp.

Ask any manufacturer as it cuts across every sector of industry.

F-16 would seem to be a classic case of what you refer to, SASless.
(And the C-130?)

I know of one helicopter manufacturer that learned the lesson the hard way.

Theres a RAAF C-17 (A41-211) is currently at Brize Norton loading up 2 Apaches ZJ220 and ZJ226 for shipment to australia

I been hearing for the last month of so rumors that some WAH-64's are being leased for pilot training and ground familiarisation by australia while awaiting delivery of out AH-64E's

Other source I went to said they have already been stripped of parts that have been sent to huntsville for installation onto the new E's, But they use the same engines as the recently retired NH-90 so could be refitting them with taipans old engines to returning them to flight

Going to be very interesting few days

Here's the breakdown of where they're going...