"Brett" wrote in message ...
"Tony Williams" wrote:
| "Brett" wrote in message
...
| "Tony Williams" wrote:
| |
| | 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).
|
| That isn't a documented fact. The documented fact is that the
GAU-12/U
| has just been selected as the best and most cost-effective gun for
the
| JSF in open competition with the BK 27 (the original selection of
the BK
| 27 in 2000 was not an open competition) by LMT.
|
| It's as well documented as the decision to use the GAU-12/U: the
| source for both being official press statements, placed on the web.
| You seem to be very selective in the press statements you're prepared
| to credit.

I'm not selective, you however appear to have misread more than one in
recent days.

| What makes you say that the original decision in favour of the BK 27
| wasn't 'in open competition'?

How about only one system bid on being included on the other candidate
aircraft. It isn't "the best and most cost-effective" if it is the only
one presented to the customer.

| It was clear that when Boeing decided in
| favour of the BK 27 in 1999, the GAU-12/U WAS in the frame, because GD
| withdrew it from the JSF competition in 2000, just before L-M selected
| the BK 27 as well (which looks very much like a case of 'resign before
| you're sacked').

Or it could be that GD believed the "press" on how effective the BK 27
was. The evaluation by LMT after the JSF contract award would appear to
have determined that the BK 27 wasn't that great an advance and that the
GAU-12/U was just as effective.

You think that a company like GD would withdraw from a competition
because they're frightened of the opposition's press releases? That's
not my perception of US business attitudes.

Can you point me please to the source for the statement that "the BK
27 wasn't that great an advance and that the GAU-12/U was just as
effective".

I'm trying to sort out the facts of what happened here amongst the
usual forum smoke and mirrors. I mean, the arguments are fun but I do
prefer them to lead to some daylight.

Tony Williams
Military gun and ammunition website: http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk
Military gun and ammunition discussion forum:
http://forums.delphiforums.com/autogun/messages/