Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to pipeline notice 2026/S 000-002873 regarding Project Grayburn, what criteria will be required to be fulfilled to distinguish between the a) Dismounted Close Combat and b) Generalist variants.

The decision on who needs a Dismounted Close Combat rifle versus a Generalist rifle will be based upon a wide range of criteria. The exact criteria will be determined during the Concept Phase. However, the list of criteria is likely to include the user role, likely engagement ranges, their likely targets, plus human factors.

Decisions on barrel length will also be determined during the Concept Phase. The barrel length of each variant will be based upon considerations such as user role (for example, Light Infantry, Light Calvary, Armoured), likely engagement ranges, likely targets, and human factors.