The initiative is designed to provide sovereign British capabilities, strengthen national security, reinforce NATO readiness and support a new era of UK defence manufacturing. Armin Papperger, CEO and Chairman of Rheinmetall AG, said: “The UK Gun Hall is a strategic asset that cements Britain’s place among NATO’s leading industrial powers. The progress we’ve made since our first announcement shows our determination to deliver this capability when it’s needed most.”
Orders have already been placed for critical long-lead machinery, enabling rapid installation once construction milestones are reached. Advanced design work is shaping a facility optimised for high-volume, large-calibre production, with provisions for future expansion.
Preparatory works are underway alongside early engagement with UK steel producers and small and medium-sized enterprises to establish a resilient domestic supply chain. The project forms part of the wider Trinity House Agreement between the UK and Germany, complementing Rheinmetall’s production facility in Unterlüß, Germany, to create a transnational supply chain for NATO and partner nations.
The UK Gun Hall will directly support the British Army’s transformation under the Strategic Defence Review, including the Challenger 3 programme, Boxer production and future artillery platforms. It is also intended to boost export potential while providing the firepower and industrial resilience to enhance warfighting capability by 2030.
Over the next decade, the project is forecast to generate around 100 highly skilled jobs at the facility, with further employment across the supply chain. Apprenticeship and graduate programmes are being prepared to make the site a centre of engineering excellence for future generations.
The Gun Hall forms part of Rheinmetall’s broader sovereign capability strategy, complementing Boxer and Challenger 3 production in Telford and Rheinmetall House in Bristol. Together, these investments aim to reinforce the UK’s defence industrial base and represent a long-term commitment to national security.
