It is an honor to address you today at Telford, as we welcome the re‑establishment of large‑caliber gun barrel manufacturing in the United Kingdom—a capability that has been missing for decades.
This is a poignant reminder of Great Britain’s historic expertise in artillery production. For centuries, the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich stood for excellence, delivering weapons that influenced conflicts from the Napoleonic era through both World Wars and the Cold War.
History shows that while military services can win battles, winning wars requires national unity. Today, the lesson is stark: modern warfare consumes vast quantities of equipment and ammunition. In Ukraine, each side fires tens of thousands of artillery rounds daily, creating a firepower and lethality that drones cannot match.
Consequently, we must be ready to replace and maintain fighting systems at the same pace as their consumption. Yet industrial capacity cannot be created in a crisis; it must be established beforehand.
This facility marks a crucial advancement. It advances the modernisation of our land forces and revives the skills and industrial base essential for future combat power. Moreover, it signals a strong commitment from government, industry, and the armed forces to jointly develop a national arsenal that safeguards our security and empowers our soldiers to protect what matters most.
In essence, I thank those soldiers—both today’s and tomorrow’s—for their dedication.
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