Rheinmetall has opened its UK Gun Hall in Telford, restoring Britain’s capacity to manufacture barrels for large-calibre weapons. According to the BBC, the opening marks the return of gun barrel production after a 20-year gap. The factory is expected to use British steel and supply equipment including artillery systems.
The official opening took place on 22 October 2026, attended by Defence Secretary Wes Streeting. In a speech published by the Ministry of Defence, he highlighted the importance of restoring domestic artillery barrel production after decades away. The facility is intended to support the supply of next-generation equipment for the British Army and strengthen cooperation between the British and German defence industries.
The BBC, citing Rheinmetall, reports that the Telford factory will manufacture barrels and breeches for large-calibre weapons, including the RCH 155 artillery system and future artillery platforms. However, the opening does not establish the factory’s current production volume, and no precise date has been given for the manufacture of its first barrel.
British steel and jobs in Telford
According to the Defence Secretary, the barrels will be made using British steel supplied by Forgemasters. The BBC also reports that Telford employees have undergone training at Rheinmetall’s German facility, covering precision manufacturing, quality control and specialist weapons production processes.
The investment also matters to Telford as a source of employment. The BBC reports that the facility has supported 100 jobs. In his speech, Streeting spoke of creating 100 jobs on site and hundreds more across the supply chain. Those additional supplier jobs remain a projection rather than a confirmed outcome of the factory’s operations.
Streeting also said the facility was expected to contribute more than £400 million to the British economy over the next decade. That figure is a forecast presented at the opening, not a measure of benefits already delivered. The confirmed step is the opening of a factory intended to rebuild a capability within Britain’s defence industry.
