Project GRAYBURN: Delivering a Sovereign Small Arms Capability for the UK

Project GRAYBURN and the UK’s Strategic Imperative

The United Kingdom is at a decisive moment in shaping its future defence resilience. Project GRAYBURN represents a nationally significant programme designed to modernise the country’s small arms capability. At its core lies a Land Industrial Strategy (LIS) that ensures the UK not only meets today’s operational requirements but also builds a sovereign defence capability for decades to come.
With its 499-year heritage, global manufacturing expertise, and proven record in establishing sovereign solutions worldwide, BDT UK stands as the strategic partner of choice. As part of Beretta Defense Technologies (BDT) — which brings together Beretta, Benelli, Sako, Steiner, RWS, Swiss P, MFS, Norma, and Centanex — BDT UK delivers a fully integrated system of firearms, optics, and ancillaries, ensuring a single-source solution for modern armed forces.

UK’s Offering to Project Grayburn

BDT UK’s offering to Project GRAYBURN is built on a robust, scalable, and fully integrated industrial plan that aligns with the UK Government’s Land Industrial Strategy (LIS). This offering represents a long-term commitment to establishing a sovereign small arms capability through investment, partnership, and technology transfer within the United Kingdom.

At the heart of this proposal is the transformation of the Faldingworth site in Lincolnshire into a centre of excellence for small arms manufacturing – an advanced production facility designed to deliver consistent quality, operational reliability, and adaptability to future technological developments. The facility will serve as the cornerstone of a UK-centred industrial ecosystem, combining BDT’s global expertise with the strengths of local suppliers and engineering talent.

The offering also includes the creation of a dedicated UK workforce, trained and developed to meet the highest standards of defence manufacturing. By leveraging the proven capabilities of the Beretta Defense Technologies group, BDT UK can provide a single-source, end-to-end solution covering firearms, optics, accessories, and through-life support.

This integrated approach ensures that the UK Armed Forces will benefit not only from state-of-the-art weapon systems, but also from a sustainable, sovereign, and future-ready supply chain. Through Project GRAYBURN, BDT UK is ready to deliver an offering that supports national defence objectives, strengthens industrial independence, and positions the UK as a key hub for small arms innovation and export within Europe. Through this comprehensive offering, Project GRAYBURN stands not only as a defence initiative but as a driver of national prosperity—bringing measurable economic and strategic benefits to the United Kingdom.

Integrated Product Suite: From Firearms to Optics

As part of its comprehensive proposal for Project GRAYBURN, Beretta Defense Technologies (BDT) brings together a complete ecosystem of firearms and optical solutions, designed to deliver maximum operational performance and system integration. Each component reflects the technological excellence and field-proven reliability of the BDT group’s companies—Beretta, Sako, and Steiner—working together as a single, integrated platform.

The Beretta New Assault Rifle Platform (NARP) represents the next evolution in military small arms. Developed to meet the complex needs of modern operations, it combines modularity, precision, and ergonomic design, allowing users to adapt seamlessly to diverse mission environments.

Complementing this, the Sako Assault Rifle stands as a proven and combat-tested platform already trusted by European armed forces. Built for accuracy, durability, and interoperability, it showcases the precision engineering that has made Sako a benchmark in the field of defence manufacturing.

On the optics side, Steiner enhances the system’s capability with two advanced solutions. The Low Power Variable Optic (LPVO) delivers exceptional versatility—enabling rapid transition from close-quarter to mid-range engagements—while the T1Xi and TM3X Combined Tactical System offers unmatched adaptability through its dual magnification setup, ensuring superior speed and accuracy in dynamic scenarios.

Together, these technologies form a fully integrated, mission-ready system that empowers the UK Armed Forces with cutting-edge performance, reliability, and adaptability across every operational domain.

While BDT’s integrated product suite demonstrates the group’s technological leadership, Project GRAYBURN’s impact extends far beyond capability – driving economic growth, job creation, and industrial resilience across the UK.

Why the UK needs a Sovereign Small Arms Capability

Since the end of domestic assault rifle production in 2001, the United Kingdom has faced a growing strategic vulnerability in its ability to equip and sustain its Armed Forces independently. Reliance on foreign suppliers for critical defence equipment exposes the UK to risks in availability, pricing, and long-term through-life support—particularly during times of geopolitical instability or competing global demand.

The absence of an indigenous production base has also limited the UK’s capacity to maintain full control over quality assurance, technological upgrades, and the continuous improvement of its small arms systems.

Re-establishing a sovereign small arms manufacturing capability therefore represents a fundamental step toward restoring national resilience and operational readiness.

A sovereign small arms manufacturing capability ensures:

• Supply chain resilience with onshore production.
• Rapid response to urgent operational needs.
• Lifecycle control, from design to sustainment.

By securing a UK-based manufacturing hub, Project GRAYBURN directly addresses these strategic challenges—strengthening the nation’s defence autonomy while revitalising its industrial base. It marks a decisive move towards ensuring that the UK retains not only the capability to equip its forces, but also the freedom to shape and evolve that capability on its own terms.

BDT UK’s strategic proposition

As the defence partner of choice, BDT UK offers a unique value proposition:

• Global Expertise: decades of experience in delivering indigenous capabilities, including the US M9 programme, the Bindig facility in Qatar, and the Sako M23 rifle programme in Finland and Sweden.
• Financial Stability: 499 years of family ownership provide unmatched continuity and commitment.
• Integrated Capability: firearms, optics, suppressors, and ancillaries developed within one group – Beretta, Benelli, Sako, Steiner, RWS, Swiss P, MFS, Norma, and Centanex – ensuring seamless compatibility and operational efficiency.
• Commitment to UK Prosperity: creation of more than 100 high-skilled jobs, investment in Midlands-based manufacturing, and the potential to generate significant export revenue.

Through Project GRAYBURN, BDT UK is positioned not just as a supplier, but as a long-term strategic partner in strengthening the UK’s defence ecosystem.

The Land Industrial Strategy, the Key Pillars of Project GRAYBURN

The Land Industrial Strategy (LIS) designed by BDT UK provides a comprehensive and scalable framework to deliver and sustain a truly sovereign small arms capability for the United Kingdom. Each pillar of this strategy plays a crucial role in ensuring operational readiness, industrial resilience, and long-term value for the nation.

1. Sovereign Manufacturing Hub – The transformation of the Centanex site in Lincolnshire will establish a modern, state-of-the-art production hub capable of supporting the full lifecycle of the UK’s small arms programme. This investment will enable onshore production of rifles and components, reduce logistical dependencies, and create a high-skill industrial base within the UK. The facility will integrate advanced manufacturing technologies and stringent quality assurance standards, ensuring every system meets the operational demands of modern forces.
2. Integrated UK Supply Chain – Project GRAYBURN is built around strong collaboration with domestic manufacturers for key components and materials. By creating an interconnected network of UK-based suppliers, the programme enhances industrial self-reliance, shortens lead times, and strengthens regional economies. This integrated supply chain not only supports immediate production needs but also lays the groundwork for future innovation and export growth within the British defence industry.
3. Lifecycle Management – Through Integrated Logistical Support (ILS), BDT UK ensures that every product delivered under Project GRAYBURN performs optimally throughout its service life. This approach covers maintenance, spare parts, upgrades, and training, offering predictable through-life costs and maximising value for the UK Armed Forces. Lifecycle management is a cornerstone of sustainable defence capability—guaranteeing readiness, reliability, and cost efficiency over decades.
4. Future Technology Integration – Project GRAYBURN is conceived with the future in mind. Its open architecture design allows seamless integration of next-generation technologies, including digital optics, advanced targeting systems, and networked command solutions. This sensor-to-shooter optimisation ensures that UK forces remain equipped with the most effective and adaptable systems available – ready to evolve with emerging operational and technological requirements.
5. Scalable Production – Flexibility and responsiveness are essential in modern defence manufacturing. The LIS framework enables BDT UK to scale production capacity from 15,000 to 30,000 rifles per year, adapting rapidly to meet national and allied demand. This scalability ensures that the UK can respond effectively to shifts in global security dynamics while maintaining sovereign control of production timelines and outputs.

Together, these pillars form the foundation of a sustainable, future-ready small arms ecosystem – one that reinforces the UK’s industrial resilience and defence autonomy.

By uniting industrial capability, technological innovation, and long-term support, the Land Industrial Strategy delivers a blueprint for enduring partnership between BDT UK and the nation’s defence ecosystem.

Economic and Strategic Benefits for the UK

The impact of Project GRAYBURN goes far beyond the defence sector:

• Job Creation & Skills Development: training and employing a new generation of high-skilled workers.
• Strengthening the Industrial Base: supporting UK manufacturers across the supply chain.
• Regional Investment: contributing to the Midlands’ growth agenda through advanced manufacturing.
• Export Potential: opening pathways for UK-designed rifles and systems to enter global markets.
• National Security Resilience: ensuring autonomy in equipping the Armed Forces.

Collectively, these benefits demonstrate how Project GRAYBURN will not only strengthen the UK’s defence capability but also deliver lasting economic value – driving innovation, employment, and industrial growth across the nation.

By investing in a state-of-the-art, purpose-built manufacturing facility in Faldingworth, Lincolnshire, as well as nurturing partnerships with UK companies outside of the group, BDT UK will help re-energise the UK’s industrial base and drive economic growth and productivity across several regions of the UK, aligning with the Government’s growth agenda.

A Strategic Partnership for the Future

Project GRAYBURN is more than the procurement of a new rifle—it is a blueprint for building a sovereign capability that will serve the UK for generations.

As part of Beretta Defense Technologies, BDT UK combines the strength of Beretta, Benelli, Sako, and Steiner into a single-source solution. By investing in local industry, embracing innovation, and committing to long-term collaboration, BDT UK ensures that the United Kingdom secures not only its defence capability but also its industrial future.

BDT UK welcomes collaboration and partnership opportunities with industry and government stakeholders to advance the UK’s sovereign defence capability under Project GRAYBURN – balancing cost, capability, and national benefit.

Learn more about Beretta Defense Technologies – our products, innovations, and ongoing defence programmes – by visiting our website and discovering how we continue to shape the future of integrated military solutions.