The defence secretary, Wes Streeting, has opened a factory in Telford, Shropshire, built by the German arms maker Rheinmetall to produce artillery and tank barrels, ending about two decades in which Britain had to buy barrels from abroad, The Guardian reports.
Rheinmetall's chief executive, Armin Papperger, said work began on the strength of a handshake with the head of the army, Gen Sir Roly Walker, before any contract was signed. The first barrels, for 155mm self-propelled howitzers, are now being made, and the plant will later produce 120mm barrels for the Challenger 3 tank.
The gun hall can make 245 barrels and 50 breeches a year, with capacity of up to 1,000 possible if orders follow. It will employ 35 people at first, rising to 100. Papperger said talks on making more ammunition in the UK were also under way.
Source: The Guardian
