In response to a question from James Cartlidge, MP for South Suffolk, about whether the large-calibre gun barrels produced under the Trinity House Agreement would exclusively use recycled British steel, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed plans for a new artillery gun barrel factory in the UK, with British steel playing a central role.
Maria Eagle, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence, explained that “the Trinity House Agreement will drive investment into the UK and pave the way for a new artillery gun barrel factory to be opened in the UK.”
She noted that the project, led by Rheinmetall, will reintroduce domestic manufacturing of artillery gun barrels for the first time in a decade, with Sheffield Forgemasters providing British steel for production.
While Eagle confirmed that British steel from Sheffield Forgemasters would be used, she also clarified that discussions are still ongoing between Rheinmetall and Sheffield Forgemasters to finalise specific arrangements.
Sheffield Forgemaster furnaces boost UK submarine production
The Ministry of Defence earlier this year announced plans to regenerate the nation’s ability to produce forgings for gun barrels in collaboration with Sheffield Forgemasters. This development came after a meeting between Defence Secretary John Healey, President Zelenskyy, and UK defence industry leaders to discuss boosting industrial production for Ukraine.
In an update, the Ministry of Defence stated:
“The MOD agreed to regenerate the UK’s ability to produce forgings for gun barrels, working in partnership with Sheffield Forgemasters, supporting the repair and overhaul of Ukrainian vehicles; this is the first step towards UK sovereign barrel production which has been developing for 20 years.
UK industry support of this kind will enable Ukraine’s armed forces to get maintain vital equipment, such as L119 Light Guns and the AS90 self-propelled gun, keeping it in the fight and repairing battle damaged equipment as quickly as possible.”
UK stopped producing large-calibre gun barrels years ago
According to a report by Christopher F Foss at Shephard News, the UK ceased manufacturing large-calibre gun barrels following the closure of key facilities such as the Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF) Nottingham and an armament production facility in Barrow-in-Furness.
These closures left the UK without domestic production capabilities for barrels needed for tanks and artillery. ROF Nottingham was the sole producer of barrels for the Challenger 2 tanks and AS90 howitzers, among others, until it closed and the site was redeveloped.
The challenge became more apparent when the UK supplied Ukraine with Challenger 2 tanks and AS90 howitzers. Due to the high rate of fire in combat situations, these tanks and howitzers need regular barrel replacements.
Who are Sheffield Forgemasters?
Sheffield Forgemasters, based in South Yorkshire, has been identified as a key player in the UK’s initiative to restore its gun barrel manufacturing capabilities. Nationalised in July 2021, the company is now fully owned by the Ministry of Defence. Forgemasters specialises in producing large bespoke steel castings and forgings, serving sectors such as defence, engineering, nuclear, offshore, petrochemical, and steel processing industries.
The company has a long history dating back to the 1750s and has undergone various mergers and acquisitions. Despite financial difficulties and industry challenges, including a failed attempt to acquire a 15,000-tonne forging press for civil nuclear components, Forgemasters has maintained its position in the heavy engineering sector.
Forgemasters’ manufacturing capabilities include pouring Europe’s largest single casting at 570 tonnes. The company operates two forging presses capable of exerting 4,500 tonnes and 10,000 tonnes of pressure, which are essential for producing high-quality steel components.
In March 2022, the company ended its supply contract with Gazprom following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. More recently, in July 2024, the MoD announced an arrangement with Forgemasters to support the repair and overhaul of Ukrainian vehicles, marking a step towards regenerating the UK’s barrel production capabilities.
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Another national asset flogged off by the Tories at ‘mates rates’ to their city chums that will now cost us twice as much to restore.
Just to point out that the barrel manufacturer in Nottingham was closed during a Labour defence review, but let’s not let truth get in the way of a bash at the Tories eh.
It is not only that. If there is no business case to have steel production it would have to be nationalized.
Yep.
ROF Nottingham closed 2001…
ROF Bishopton, which manufactured our artillery propellant closed in 2002…
The artillery production facility at Barrow closed in 2018 in practice due to lack of orders from UK and US…(M777 production). There is a chance it might open again…but you have to wonder if all the staff are working on subs now…
Almost unbelievable that despite spending £50 billion quid on ‘defence’ it was decided not to make gun barrels anymore.
Hmm ok good but this is to mainly to support AS90s in the Ukraine has British Army more or less finished with this platform ? CH2 & CH3 fair enough but at the moment big guns just 14 Archer artillery platform’s .Can’t see any more been on order . And are we going to win the contract with Germany for the Barrels for their Boxer artillery platforms 🤔. And for steel industry UK really don’t have one anymore thanks to politicians 🙄 Sorry Guys 🍺
I have a feeling theres alot of projects in the pipeline.
Probably will be looking at making 155/L52’s under license from KNDS.
Hopefully
As90 in UK has finished only 6 in Estonia now and Archer isn’t cutting the mustard at the moment
Archer would be useful if we had it in numbers I guess, but no plans for more and don’t really think any available for sale or even if there are any still in production 🤔. And for Boxer artillery platform is it really what the Army want has previous PM made the deal with Germany.Never knew he was an Artillery expert 🤗
We have had to send 6 archer to Finland to fire because they can’t currently fire in the UK the remaining 8 are already being cannibalised to keep the 6 in Finland mobile yup really good kit
The Boxer SPG order is a done deal. Was reported nearly a year ago that the MOD had signed off on the deal for 152 Boxer SPGs. Not sure if signatures got onto paper or whether the quangos at the treasury stopped the signing? Anyone know?
You are forgetting Challenger 3 & L118.
CH3 barrels
RCH155 barrels
AS90 barrels for Ukraine
L118 and L119 barrels…
We could even ask for 5 inch barrels for Navy (suspect the RN has enough 4.5 inch in stock for the remaining life).
Be interesting to see if we also start 40mm and 57mm production for the Bofors…I doubt it some how.
Clarification needed. Will the steel actually be “British” because apart from recycled steel, going forward we won’t be producing steel of a high quality as typically the product of a traditional process involving coal products as fuel and at a higher temperature then very expensive electricity with all its shortcomings.
I believe Forgemasters produce their own steel from scrap or iron, they have a large melting shop. To be honest, basic steel is cheap and I don’t have a huge issue with importing it, at the moment we import iron ore to make the steel so what is the difference between important that, in greater bulk, than steel itself? Specialist steels and alloys, and the forging and casting of them, is the high value industry where we still have a decent presence that we should maintain, Forgemasters being a prime example.
In 2023 UK produced 5.6M tonnes of steel and consumed 7.6M tonnes but this is only half the story. Each year we produce 10-11M tonnes of scrap steel, 80% of which is exported so we are easily net produces of steel even if we discount production from traditional methods. As regard to “quality” steel, the can be made from “quality” scrap, where do you think all those worn barrels go?
I read somewhere recently that an electric furnace to produce pig iron from ore has been built and run successfully. Unfortunately, I just skipped through the article at the time, so no more details…
Cheers CR
There are some tests around that…long way from production though…
We had a very good opportunity The Team Thunder partnership is established with one eye on the export market with the potential for the UK to become a regional hub within the global supply chain of the 2,400 K9 family vehicles, including K10 ammunition resupply vehicles.” But NO ONE from the UK even went along to even consider this we bought Archer as a stop gap and that got us nowhere
We dropped the ball not going with k9 quite a few nato countries are buying it especially Poland
Got to give it to the Poles on Defence there’s no messing about .
Well. They are much more at risk of an attack then we are. Russia isn’t going to invade the UK but they could close the Sulaki gap (forgive if spelling incorrect). Why would Russia close the gap and risk war? In order to steam roll the Baltics asap before NATO can crash deploy reinforcements. I think any enforced peace and end to the Ukraine war will lead within 12 months to Putin going again. Possibly Vs Ukraine possibly the Baltics, Georgia or a two pronged attack from the separatist area of Moldova and out of Crimea towards Odessa, if Russia can cut the coastal access for Ukraine then it’s main export grain and cereal produce cannot get out. Except through a protectionist EU that won’t allow mega tons of cheap grain or cereal imports.
Any peace and end to the war in Ukraine is just a temporary measure until Putin rearms, re equips and is ready to try again. It is only the continuous warfare in Ukraine that matches Russian war production and prevents Russia from exerting overwhelming military force to push through a victory, albeit at massive cost.
The Russian armed forces are utterly useless and unable to mount combined arms tactics. They are however able to steamroll an enemy if they can generate a 5 or 10:1 local superiority. They can win but at massive human costs to their armed forces and the Russian populace.
It’s what I call kicking our selves in the Nuts 🙄
It makes sense for us to regenerate this capability.
Well Paul C, your right but it would have been more common sense in the first place not to lose it. Ukraine has proven food/energy production and as much home made hard wear is as Important as making the army 3x more lethal. As for Sheffield there is an opportunity to rebuild the specialist steel industry, with Boeing being in the City it just needs investment and lead. What happened to levelling up?
Ask the car industry about recycled steel. It’s softer and is not as good.
So the UK has lost the capability of making gun barrels- Whilst we make the forgings we have to have a German company (Rheinmetal) making them. Presumably normal rules apply and the German government will have veto power on where we export, who to and if we’re allowed to use them or not. Should there be any export work, we would I suspect be expected to step aside and let Rheinmetal take what they want first.
Sadly, this is just a small fraction of the capability gaps we face in the UK. Our sovereign defence capability has been destroyed over the last thirty years. So German company now decides what technology we can have at what cost. We are a client state
So not for the our Armies use just for Ukraine, money we spent on another countries from a not big budget.It may be it might be used to make RCH 155mm barrel when we get around to ordering any.
Rather than just window shopping with warm word, be handy to order some as we have so few AS90’s left we gave most away with the Ammo.
Credit where credit is due. Well done DE&S for getting this important area moving.