In article ,
(Tony Williams) wrote:

The linkless feed was developed years ago and is used in the
Eurofighter Typhoon installation, so is just about to enter service.

So what have we determined?

1. The German Mauser BK 27 was selected by both Boeing and
Lockheed-Martin over the GAU-12/U as the best and most cost-effective
gun for the JSF (documented fact).

You misspelled "cheaper." The Mauser was "good enough," for the
original price, which they didn't stick with.

2. The cost of the gun rose well over budget (documented fact)
probably because Mauser's US partners spent far too much on adapting
it to US use (reasonable assumption).

Unreasonable assumption.

More reasonable? They low-balled the bid, and didn't get the price
increase they wanted. Integrating the gun into the airframe? If they
had to spend *that* much doing it, they screwed something up in the
original design.

3. GD, in their position of gun armament integrator, took advantage of
the situation to slip in a lower bid for the GAU-12/U, which was
accepted by L-M (clear conclusion from press statement).

....or they came back in after the Mauser folks didn't get the price
increase they wanted - the actual comment *in* the press statement.

So to sum up, the F-35 will be getting the second-best gun because
Mauser's US partners couldn't keep their costs down.

No, the F-35 will be getting a gun that's at least as good, because the
"cheap" gun wasn't nearly as cheap as we'd been led to believe.

--
cirby at cfl.rr.com

Remember: Objects in rearview mirror may be hallucinations.
Slam on brakes accordingly.