Keeping simple weapons in reserve production

The Sten prompts a proposal to retain the capacity to manufacture a simple, usable weapon during a major war. A sophisticated rifle can depend on manufacturing processes that are difficult to expand quickly. A simpler alternative could provide emergency capacity when those production limits become restrictive. The proposal calls for both a retained design and a factory able to make it. It accepts lower performance than the preferred service weapon in exchange for production that can expand when needed. The same question is raised more broadly for simple equipment, including transport systems such as Motor Rail.