London, 22 November 2025 (Agencies): The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is preparing to launch Project Grayburn, a major procurement program to replace the armed forces’ long-serving SA80 family of service rifles. By early 2026, tender requirements are expected to be published for the acquisition of 170,000 new weapon systems, marking one of the largest small-arms modernization efforts in decades.
The SA80, introduced in the 1980s, was originally slated to retire in 2030. However, defense officials have now extended its out-of-service date to 2035, giving manufacturers additional time to present competitive bids.
Among the companies lining up is Beretta Defense Technologies (BDT), which launched its UK strategy earlier this year. Jack Cadman, manager of BDT UK’s Military and Law Enforcement Group, outlined the firm’s proposed offering to the MoD, which he said could create up to 70 new high-skilled manufacturing jobs.
BDT’s bid includes the Beretta New Assault Rifle Platform (NARP) and the Sako Arctic Rifle Generation (ARG), designed for dismounted close combat and combat support roles. Both rifles feature changeable calibres, allowing flexibility to meet evolving MoD requirements over their service lives.
The group has also sought ammunition input from its subsidiary Norma Group, optics from Steiner Optics, and may include BDT suppressors depending on tender specifications. In addition, BDT has presented a conceptual site master plan to upgrade its Lincolnshire facility into a small-arms production hub, with scenarios ranging from 5% to 100% domestic UK manufacturing capacity.
Project Grayburn is expected to attract bids from several international and domestic manufacturers, as the UK seeks a modern, adaptable replacement for the SA80 that can meet the demands of future combat environments.