FN UK Wins £20M MoD Contract to Upgrade and Support British Army’s L111A1 Heavy Machine Guns.

FN UK, the British arm of FN Herstal, has won a £20M, 10-year contract with the UK Ministry of Defence to upgrade and support the Army’s L111A1 Heavy Machine Guns, also known as the M2 .50 caliber.

FN UK, the British subsidiary of Belgium’s FN Herstal, has secured a 10-year, £20 million contract with the UK Ministry of Defence to modernize and sustain the British Army’s L111A1 Heavy Machine Gun fleet. Announced on September 18, 2025, the agreement ensures the UK’s only machine gun manufacturer will upgrade and support one of the Armed Forces’ most widely deployed crew-served weapons, improving reliability and combat readiness.
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L111A1 .50 caliber heavy machine gun mounted on a British Army Jackal 2 patrol vehicle, providing long-range fire support and convoy overwatch capability during mobile operations. (Picture source: British MoD)

The long-term contract covers maintenance, upgrades, and lifecycle support for the L111A1, the UK designation of the FN Browning M2 .50 caliber Heavy Machine Gun. Used extensively by British forces in recent conflicts, the weapon provides vital firepower against vehicles, aircraft, and fortified positions. FN UK’s role as sole producer and assembler of machine guns on British soil makes the investment strategically important for national defense and industrial capability.

The contract will see FN UK carry out mechanical upgrades, safety enhancements, and performance optimizations that are essential for modern battlefield demands. While specific engineering details remain classified, Army Recognition understands that the Mid-Life Improvement includes critical component replacements and re-engineering work to increase barrel life, enhance quick-change barrel mechanisms, reduce operator burden, and streamline logistics for spare parts.

The L111A1 has been a mainstay of British fire support since its adoption, mounted on a range of platforms including the Jackal, Foxhound, WMIK Land Rovers, and naval force protection mounts. It is also deployed dismounted on heavy tripods for base defense, convoy overwatch, and suppression fire in high-threat environments. With operational deployments ranging from Iraq and Afghanistan to current NATO reassurance operations in Eastern Europe, the weapon system continues to prove its value in sustained combat and deterrence missions.

The L111A1 is a belt-fed, recoil-operated, air-cooled heavy machine gun chambered in 12.7x99mm NATO (.50 BMG). It is capable of engaging targets at ranges of up to 2,000 meters, delivering high-volume, high-penetration fire against a wide array of battlefield threats including light armor, enemy positions, helicopters, unmanned aerial systems, and fast-moving vehicles. Weighing approximately 38 kilograms in its base configuration, the L111A1 is typically operated by a two-person crew and can be mounted on tripods, vehicles, or naval pintle mounts. Its rate of fire is between 450 and 600 rounds per minute, and its effectiveness lies in both direct fire suppression and area denial roles.

The current version used by UK forces is the quick-change barrel (QCB) variant, which allows soldiers to replace an overheated barrel without complex headspace and timing adjustments, dramatically improving battlefield endurance and operational tempo. This capability is especially critical in sustained fire engagements and mounted combat where downtime must be minimized.

The selection of FN UK reinforces the UK government’s drive for sovereign capability in weapons manufacturing and sustainment. Based in South Wales, FN UK is fully integrated into the FN Herstal global production ecosystem but operates under British control to fulfill security, resilience, and industrial strategy priorities. As the sole UK-based producer of machine guns, FN UK’s expanded role in support of the L111A1 ensures critical know-how and supply chains remain within the national defense industrial base.

In a statement, representatives from DE&S emphasized that this contract aligns with the British Army’s broader soldier lethality program, which seeks to enhance small arms systems with extended range, improved ergonomics, and greater mission adaptability. The L111A1, firing the potent 12.7x99mm NATO cartridge, delivers unmatched firepower against light vehicles, fortified positions, drones, and troop concentrations, making it a vital asset for combined arms operations and force protection.

FN Herstal's M2HB-QCB, on which the L111A1 is based, incorporates the Quick Change Barrel feature that enables gunners to swap barrels rapidly under fire without complex recalibration. This is a key enhancement over legacy M2 models, especially in high-intensity engagements requiring sustained rates of fire. With the MLI, the UK variant will benefit from further refinement of these capabilities, increasing tactical endurance while lowering maintenance cycles.

This long-term partnership between the UK Ministry of Defence and FN UK also includes provisions for in-service support, meaning the company will oversee diagnostics, spare part production, depot-level repair, and obsolescence management. Such through-life support ensures that the upgraded L111A1 fleet remains mission-ready well into the 2030s, at a time when the British Army is undergoing a broader force transformation under Future Soldier reforms.

The timing of the contract is particularly relevant, as global demand for .50 caliber HMGs continues to grow due to evolving threat profiles that include armored technicals, unmanned systems, and dismounted enemy forces operating from hardened positions. With enhanced L111A1 systems entering service under this agreement, the UK will maintain overmatch capabilities in close combat and mobile engagements.

This contract not only reaffirms the enduring legacy of the M2 platform but also represents a critical step in modernizing the British Army’s lethality at the tactical level. As part of a new wave of precision-focused, modular, and scalable weapon systems, the upgraded L111A1 is positioned to remain a cornerstone of British fire support operations for years to come.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.