UK awards £70M no-bid machine gun contract to Heckler & Koch

The Ministry of Defence plans to award a £70 million contract to Heckler & Koch (UK) for the supply of L7A2 general-purpose machine guns. The ten-year deal, set to begin in June 2026, will run until 2036 without competitive bidding. Officials cite technical reasons for selecting the Nottingham-based firm as the sole supplier. The L7A2 is the British military’s standard 7.62mm machine gun, serving in both infantry and mounted roles. Heckler & Koch upgraded the weapon to its current configuration in 2007, adding key safety improvements. The company remains the only holder of the technical documentation needed to produce the L7A2 version of the FN MAG.

The contract will be signed by the Dismounted Close Combat Team at Defence Equipment and Support. Under the Procurement Act 2023, the deal can be awarded directly to Heckler & Koch without competition. The total value, including VAT, is approximately £70 million, with the pre-tax figure just under £58.4 million. A transparency notice has already been published, confirming Heckler & Koch (UK) as a small or medium-sized enterprise based in Nottingham.

The agreement ensures continued supply of the L7A2, a critical weapon for British infantry. The Ministry of Defence has justified the sole-supplier decision on technical grounds, with no alternative provider available. The contract will cover both the guns and related equipment over the next decade.