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

Project Grayburn is the UK Ministry of Defence initiative aimed at securing a sovereign small arms manufacturing capability to meet the operational demands of the British Armed Forces. Designed to support the UK’s Land Industrial Strategy, the program focuses on procuring next-generation rifles, enhancing operational readiness, and establishing an onshore supply chain that guarantees long-term sovereign resilience, domestic support, and continuous technological advancement.

To fulfill these critical defense requirements, Beretta Defense Technologies (BDT) UK delivers an onshore, end-to-end capability that aligns with the UK’s long-term military and industrial objectives. By combining UK-based manufacturing with battle-proven platforms, BDT UK provides a fully integrated onshore ecosystem covering local production, engineering support, and full life-cycle sustainment.

BDT UK’s Sovereign Small Arms Proposal

To fulfill the strategic ambitions of the UK’s Land Industrial Strategy, BDT UK delivers a complete sovereign small arms capability tailored to the future operational demands of the British Armed Forces.

This proposal bridges modern tactical requirements with robust UK-based manufacturing and long-term domestic sustainment:

• Onshore production and assembly: establishing dedicated facilities for UK small arms manufacturing, securing sovereign control over key defense assets and eliminating reliance on overseas supply chains.
• Battle-proven weapon systems: offering cutting-edge individual weapons platforms—including the Beretta NARP and Sako Assault Rifle – engineered for high reliability, modularity, and lethality in modern combat.
• Full life-cycle support: delivering local engineering, maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities directly within the UK to maximize force readiness and equipment availability.
• Industrial and economic investment: supporting high-skilled UK jobs, fostering domestic technology transfer, and reinforcing the sovereign industrial base for long-term strategic independence.

This integrated approach ensures the UK Armed Forces receive not only state-of-the-art project grayburn rifles, but also a resilient, sovereign supply chain. By aligning cutting-edge weapon systems with a sovereign domestic production capability, BDT UK supports national defense objectives, strengthens industrial independence, and drives long-term economic prosperity across the UK.

Integrated Small Arms and Optics for Project GRAYBURN

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.

Beretta New Assault Rifle Platform (NARP)

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.

Sako Assault Rifle

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.

Steiner Optics and Tactical Systems

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.

By combining small arms, precision optics, specialized ammunition, and tactical gear into a single architecture, BDT UK delivers a fully integrated small arms ecosystem. This unified approach ensures seamless interoperability for the soldier while maintaining a secure, sovereign supply chain across the entire equipment lifecycle.

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 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 defense 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 initiatives ensure Project Grayburn delivers more than advanced capability. By embedding small arms manufacturing UK infrastructure directly onshore, BDT UK guarantees operational self-reliance, long-term supply resilience, and sustained economic value for the United Kingdom.

A Strategic Partnership for the Future

Project Grayburn represents a pivotal opportunity to establish an enduring, sovereign small arms capability within the UK. By combining world-class small arms technology, domestic engineering expertise, and sustained investment in local manufacturing, BDT UK stands ready to deliver a fully integrated solution that strengthens national security and supports the UK’s Land Industrial Strategy.

See BDT in Action discovering how BDT’s integrated capabilities performed in the field at the BDT Live Fire Days 2026 in Bisley.

Partnering with Beretta Defense Technologies

Whether equips defense forces, law enforcement units, or government agencies, BDT delivers fully integrated, combat-proven equipment architectures tailored to modern mission requirements. Explore BDT’s Complete Defense Capabilities.