Highlander - the gun saga, in brief:
1. Senior Officer decrees that ASRAAM means that gun less likely to be needed so has it removed as a means of getting bean counters off his back.
2. Loud noises questioning senior officer's parentage/sanity/understanding are heard.
3. Tranche 1 aircraft to have the gun on board, but no ammo; Tranches 2 & 3 to have something in lieu of gun
4. Becomes clear that it would be cheaper to install the gun, minus ammo, rather than develop specially machined lump of metal to fit space left by ommitting gun. Gun to be unsupported, however, and no ammo bought
5. Loud noises questioning a different senior officer's sanity/understanding are heard
6. Consensus develops that gun should be supported, not least since if Typhoon is to be used in AG role, experience shows that strafing isn't a dead concept.
7. Late 2006/early 2007 AOC 1 Grp quietly announces that gun will be supported, since it appears that it may come in handy...