Rheinmetall Opens UK Gun Factory: Rheinmetall has opened a new weapons factory in Telford, England, bringing large-calibre gun manufacturing back to Britain after around 20 years. The factory, called the UK Gun Hall, will make important parts for tanks and artillery systems used by the British Armed Forces. The opening took place on October 22, 2026.
The facility will support the Challenger 3 tank programme, RCH 155 artillery systems and future military platforms. It will also help Britain depend less on other countries for these important weapons parts.
Factory to Produce 245 Gun Barrels Each Year
The new factory covers 11,500 square metres and will make barrels and breeches for 120mm and 155mm guns. At full production, it can manufacture up to 245 barrels across both sizes and more than 50 breeches every year. A breech is the part at the back of a gun that holds the ammunition in place before firing.
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Production of breeches and breech blocks started in May 2026. Barrel production followed in June. Rheinmetall said it turned an empty building into a working factory in just eight months. This included setting up machines and equipment and training British workers to use them.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting opened the factory with General Sir Roly Walker and Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger.
“Britain is back in the business of making the weapons that our Armed Forces need to defend the nation against our adversaries,” said Defence Secretary Wes Streeting. “From an empty site to full production in eight months, this is rapid reindustrialisation in action.”
British Workers and Suppliers to Benefit
The factory currently has 35 workers, with the workforce expected to grow to more than 100 as production increases. The Ministry of Defence said the project supports 100 highly skilled jobs. Workers received training at Rheinmetall’s plant in Unterlüß, Germany. They learned about precision manufacturing, quality checks and specialist weapons production.
The company also wants to use British steel from Sheffield Forgemasters. It plans to work with more small and medium-sized British businesses to build a stronger local supply chain.
Rheinmetall has invested more than £200 million across its UK operations in the past five years. Its wider work in Britain includes the Boxer armoured vehicle and Challenger 3 tank programmes.
“Today’s opening is an important milestone for Rheinmetall and for the United Kingdom,” said Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger. “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.”
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Rebecca Richards, managing director of Rheinmetall UK, said the factory marks an important step for British defence manufacturing.
“The official opening of our UK Gun Hall is a landmark moment for Rheinmetall UK and for Britain’s defence industrial base,” said Rebecca Richards. “In just eight months, we transformed an empty facility into an operational manufacturing capability by investing in British people, British skills and British industry.”
UK-Germany Defence Partnership
The factory is part of the Trinity House Agreement, signed by the UK and Germany in October 2024. The agreement aims to bring the two countries closer in defence work and help strengthen NATO’s ability to protect its members.
The British government has also linked the project to its wider defence investment plans. It has committed £298 billion over four years under the Defence Investment Plan.
Rheinmetall’s Telford factory combines German manufacturing experience with British workers and production facilities. The aim is to make key weapons parts in Britain while creating skilled jobs and giving the armed forces a more reliable local supply.
