LONDON — In a strategic move to capture a major British defence contract FN UK the British subsidiary of Belgian arms giant FN Herstal has announced plans to expand production and submit a domestically manufactured assault rifle for the UK’s upcoming Project Grayburn—the programme to replace the British Army’s SA80 rifle.
The company made the announcement during a tour of its bustling 30,000 sq ft facility in southeast London one of the last remaining military small arms production sites in the United Kingdom. The facility operating at near full capacity with nearly 100 employees is actively fulfilling international orders and domestic upgrade programmes.
A Hub of British Gunsmithing
Janes was shown active production lines dedicated to critical British defence assets:
- The L111A1 M2 heavy machine gun fleet upgrade.
- Manufacturing of the FN Mag 7.62×51 mm general-purpose machine gun.
- Production of the M2HB Quick Change Barrel (QCB) 12.7×99 mm heavy machine gun, a technology pioneered at this very site before FN’s acquisition in 2013.
The site is a fully integrated manufacturing hub, supporting CNC machining, shot blasting, phosphating, electroplating, and quality control testing under one roof.
The “Made in Britain” Pitch
James Hartley FN UK’s Quality and NDT Co-ordinator, emphasized the facility’s self-sufficiency, stating that aside from imported barrels all manufacturing, assembly, and quality control are conducted on-site. This capability forms the core of FN UK’s bid for Project Grayburn positioning it not just as a subsidiary but as a genuine British manufacturer capable of delivering a sovereign small-arms solution.
By leveraging this established production expertise and workforce FN UK aims to present a compelling domestic alternative for the SA80 replacement arguing it can ensure supply chain security, skilled job retention and technical sovereignty for the UK’s armed forces.