The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Project GRAYBURN, the British Army’s future small arms programme, will encompass the full dismounted close combat weapons portfolio, ranging from pistols through to machine guns.
In a series of written parliamentary answers, Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the scope of the programme extends beyond rifles alone, reflecting a broader effort to reshape infantry weapons under a single long-term framework.
He confirmed that Project GRAYBURN remains in its concept phase, with decisions on weapon types, variants and manufacturing arrangements yet to be finalised. However, Pollard said it is “desirable for the project to create skilled employment in the UK”, in line with the Defence Industrial Strategy. According to the minister, following direction from the Joint Requirements Oversight Committee, GRAYBURN will focus on UK manufacture, establishing a strategic supply relationship, the delivery of multiple variants, improved reliability and sustained engagement with industry.
While the MOD has not committed to what proportion of the weapon systems will ultimately be manufactured domestically, Pollard reiterated that sovereign supply and industrial resilience remain central considerations as the programme develops. The answers build on industry notices issued earlier this month, which expanded public detail around GRAYBURN and confirmed that the project is intended to replace the SA80 family ahead of its projected out-of-service date around 2030.
Those notices indicated that concept work is examining multiple variants built around a common architecture, likely including a standard dismounted close combat rifle, a shorter variant, a personal defence weapon to replace the L22 carbine, a generalist rifle and a cadet weapon to replace the L98. The MOD has now confirmed that decisions on barrel length and variant distinctions will also be taken during the concept phase. Pollard said those determinations will be based on factors including user role, likely engagement ranges, expected targets and human factors, with different requirements anticipated for light infantry, armoured units and cavalry formations.
He added that the criteria used to distinguish between dismounted close combat and generalist variants will similarly be shaped by operational role rather than a single technical threshold.
Although the Joint Requirements Oversight Committee does not provide direct instruction to Defence Equipment and Support, Pollard said it plays a mandated role in the commercial process by providing strategic direction, cohering activity across Defence and monitoring delivery against wider capability priorities. Earlier MOD documentation indicated that GRAYBURN is being shaped by lessons from recent conflicts, with an emphasis on defeating modern body armour, improving reliability across environments and supporting integration of day optics and in-line night-vision systems as standard.
The programme is also examining signature reduction technologies on selected variants and the potential for long-term spiral development, supported by a strategic supplier relationship rather than a one-off procurement.
Project GRAYBURN remains in its concept phase,oh nothing new there after what 2 years,
Ahhhh, this where more starts to gets added to the programme and before we know it things get bogged down in a decade long fiasco that ends up back where it started…
Instead we could ask experienced soldiers with hands on experience what kit they’ve handled that works best. Too easy though and not enough money pumped into committees and focus groups. It’s not like there’s a world shortage of proven small arms.
To be fair I’m going to assume during the testing phase they will give them to troops to evaluate it’s definitely a big thing to cover all the various units with a new rifle 13 year old army cadets and a infantryman in a recon platoon will definitely have different needs obviously it’s going to be a AR platform my guess beretta or SAKO (basically same company) just because there offering is saying it will build in the uk, the problem with letting the troops choose is they will choose the very best KS1 for example and its a 10k rifle and obviously the MOD isn’t going to give a 13 year old army cadets a 10k ultra rifle , the MG is easy I’m going to assume the new belt fed from FN the pistol the flock we have is fine would be nice if it could be fitted with a red dot , I wouldn’t be surprised if this goes on and on for years
The Army was not happy with the SA80, they still got lumped with it.
Why are they putting the pistol requirement in this the GLOCK 17 is a brilliant sidearm, lovely to shoot, great trigger, easy to maintain and the army only got it just over 10 years ago. It had the browning high power for 40 years before changing and that has some ( minor) issues for the shooter.