FN Browning Group announces GBP 13 million capital investment into UK

FN Browning Group announced on 27 October 2025 that it has made a roughly GBP 13 million capital investment in its UK subsidiary, FN UK.

This investment, which FN Browning Group says shows the commitment it has in the UK business and the importance of retaining a manufacturing facility in the UK, follows the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) placing a 10-year contract with FN UK in September 2025 to upgrade and provide through-life support for the L111A1 .50 cal (12.7 mm) heavy machine gun (HMG): the British designation for FN’s M2HB-QCB weapon.

“The HMG contract is more than a contract; it is a mutual commitment: a commitment to operational excellence, a commitment to long-term collaboration, and a commitment to the British defence ecosystem,” Julien Compère, CEO of FN Browning Group, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “This investment is a consequence of the trust the UK MoD are placing in us.”

Michelle Cantoni, CEO of FN UK, added, “This large capital investment secures jobs in the UK as well as allowing us to plan for our long-term future. FN UK is here to stay, to grow and to continue serving those who serve.”

A major reason for the investment, however, is FN positioning itself for Project Grayburn: the British Army’s SA80 rifle replacement programme. FN UK, which in 2025 marks its 50th anniversary, can currently claim to be the only company manufacturing assault rifles and machine guns in the UK, but the results of Project Grayburn could change that.

Other contenders for Project Grayburn include Beretta Defence Technologies, SIG Sauer and Heckler & Koch, as well as possibly CZ and Knight’s Armament Company.