UK Opens First Large-Calibre Gun Factory in 20 Years
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting opened a Rheinmetall-operated gun barrel facility in Telford to restore UK production of heavy artillery and tank weaponry.
UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting opened a new gun barrel manufacturing facility in Telford, Shropshire, on Thursday, marking the return of large-calibre weapon production to the United Kingdom after a 20-year hiatus. The factory, operated by German defense firm Rheinmetall, was constructed in eight months and produces barrels and breeches for 120mm and 155mm weapon systems, including the Challenger 3 tank and the RCH 155 artillery platform.
The project stems from the Trinity House Agreement, a 2024 bilateral defense pact between the UK and Germany designed to increase European production scale and reduce reliance on US arms in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger noted that the investment began with a handshake agreement with Gen Sir Roly Walker before formal contracts were finalized.
The facility currently employs 35 workers in the gun hall, with the capacity to expand to 100. This initiative aligns with a broader UK Defence Investment Plan committing 298 billion pounds to defense over four years. Streeting characterized the opening as rapid reindustrialisation, stating that Britain is now back in the business of making the weapons needed to defend the nation.
