The only winners in this debacle are EF GmBH - when the UK dropped the requirement for a gun, no doubt it was seen as a contract change and invoked financial penalties to the MOD. When it is eventually realised that a mistake was made and the UK want the gun again, industry will declare another contract change and demand another huge wad of dosh to re-implement the gun. Of course all they will have to do is slap a bit of WD40 around the assembly as the gun is already there as ballast, the flight test and clearances will probably already have been done for the other nations - kerrching, thank you very much Mr British Taxpayer for boosting the European partnership profits!
Ironic that when the decision to drop the gun from Typhoon was made by the 'airships', the Sea Harrier was strafing in Sierra Leone!
SG