British Armed Forces will be better equipped to defend the nation, benefiting from sovereign manufacturing capability for the first time in two decades, as Rheinmetall UK begins production at its gun hall in Telford, the UK Ministry of Defence said on Thursday.

Source: UK Ministry of Defence via GOV.UK

The Shropshire factory makes barrels and breeches for 120mm and 155mm weapon systems, including the RCH 155 howitzer and future artillery platforms, according to Rheinmetall. The company said the work also supports the Challenger 3 main battle tank programme, the BBC reported.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting officially opened the gun hall alongside Chief of the General Staff General Sir Roly Walker and Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG. Rheinmetall UK has gone from an empty site to full production in just eight months, having taken over the facility in autumn 2025, the Ministry of Defence said. “Britain is back in the business of making the weapons that our Armed Forces need to defend the nation against our adversaries,” Streeting said. “From an empty site to full production in eight months, this is rapid reindustrialisation in action.”

Telford Gun Hall in numbers

The site has 11,500 square metres of production space and at peak capacity can produce up to 245 barrels a year across both calibres, as well as more than 50 breeches, Rheinmetall said. Production of breeches and breech blocks began in May, followed by barrels in June. The facility currently employs 35 people at the Gun Hall and around 685 across Rheinmetall's Telford operations, and is expected to support more than 100 skilled jobs as production develops.

“One hundred skilled jobs in world-class manufacturing and the return of large calibre weapon production to UK soil for the first time in 20 years,” Streeting said, adding: “This is what defence as an engine for growth looks like.” Specialist workers were recruited from the Telford area, and before production started, UK staff trained at Rheinmetall's plant in Unterlüß, Germany, in precision manufacturing, quality assurance and specialist weapon production, the company said.

Papperger called the opening an important milestone. “In a remarkably short period of time, we have turned our commitment into a sovereign manufacturing capability that will strengthen Britain's defence industrial base for decades to come,” he said. “By combining Rheinmetall's expertise with British skills, innovation and manufacturing, we are strengthening the UK's sovereign industrial capacity, supporting the Armed Forces and contributing to the security of NATO and Europe.”

20 yearssince large-calibre gun barrels were last made in the UK, according to the Ministry of Defence and Rheinmetall
245barrels a year at peak capacity across 120mm and 155mm calibres, plus more than 50 breeches — Rheinmetall
£298 billioncommitted by the government over four years under the Defence Investment Plan — yaani 29,800 crore pounds, about $400 billion

The development of the gun hall demonstrates the UK-Germany industrial partnership under the Trinity House Agreement, signed in October 2024, a commitment to improve bilateral cooperation between both nations and enhance NATO's collective deterrence, the Ministry of Defence said. The milestone builds on Rheinmetall UK's wider investment across the country, including its work on the Boxer vehicle and Challenger 3 battle tank programmes.

The government has committed £298 billion over four years as part of the Defence Investment Plan — yaani 29,800 crore pounds — which the ministry said is intended to use defence spending to drive economic growth and create well-paid, long-term jobs across the UK. Xinhua reported the figure as about $400 billion.

What is solid

  • Rheinmetall UK has begun production at its Telford gun hall, the first large-calibre gun barrel production in the UK in 20 years, the Ministry of Defence said on Thursday
  • The hall makes barrels and breeches for 120mm and 155mm systems including the RCH 155, was opened by Defence Secretary Wes Streeting with General Sir Roly Walker and Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger, and went from an empty site to full production in eight months — Ministry of Defence / Rheinmetall
  • The project sits under the UK-Germany Trinity House Agreement signed in October 2024, and the government has committed £298bn over four years under the Defence Investment Plan — Ministry of Defence

What is only claimed

  • How far the wider reindustrialisation promise will go — ministers and Rheinmetall present the hall as long-term sovereign capacity strengthening NATO deterrence, while the confirmed figures so far are 35 people currently employed at the Gun Hall itself, with more than 100 skilled jobs expected as production develops