Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 April 2025 to Question 46202 on Firearms, for what reason the L7A2 general purpose machine gun is being withdrawn from service in 2035.

On current plans, the Out of Service Date (OSD) for the L7A2 General Purpose Machine Gun (GMPG) is 2035. An OSD enables future planning, however, it is ultimately a guideline which can be subject to change. The British Army continually assesses its current capabilities to ensure that it is appropriately equipped to face any adversary. The L7A2 GMPG is currently considered to be a world leading weapon and if it remains an effective and required capability at the time of the planned OSD, it is possible that the OSD will be extended.