Portsmouth and Liege: FN Browning Group has completed its acquisition of Accuracy International, a designer and manufacturer of precision rifle systems recognised worldwide.
Through this acquisition, Accuracy International joins one of the world’s leading small-calibre defence groups, with activities spanning Defence and Security and Hunting and Sports Shooting. Headquartered in Belgium, the Group employs 4,200 people and operates more than 20 industrial sites across nine NATO countries.
Founded in Portsmouth in 1980, Accuracy International has built an international reputation for precision, dependability and performance. Trusted by military, law enforcement and sports shooters in more than 70 countries, the company will continue to operate under its own name, preserving the identity, expertise and craftsmanship that have made it a benchmark in its field.
The acquisition brings together two highly complementary companies sharing a culture of engineering excellence, innovation and long-term industrial investment. Accuracy International gains access to the Group’s global industrial and commercial platform, its international customer base and the resources required to expand its reach worldwide.
Julien Compere, CEO of FN Browning Group, stated, “We are very pleased to welcome Accuracy International and its teams to FN Browning Group. Our Group has always been built on industrial expertise, innovation and a long-term vision, and this acquisition is fully aligned with that approach. Our objective is clear: to preserve what makes Accuracy International unique while creating new opportunities and building on our respective strengths. This acquisition also deepens our long-term commitment to the United Kingdom, one of the strategic pillars of our industrial footprint, and reinforces our position as the sole UK-based manufacturer of machine guns and rifles.”
For FN Browning Group, the acquisition strengthens its position in precision and extreme long-range rifle systems, extending the Group’s portfolio into a new segment. The acquisition also expands the Group’s footprint in the United Kingdom, alongside primarily FN UK, but also Flee Hawk and its shareholding in Sentinel Photonics.
Through FN UK and Accuracy International, FN Browning Group is now the United Kingdom’s sole manufacturer of both military machine guns and rifles. Together, these businesses form a growing ecosystem of innovation and manufacturing excellence, supporting the UK’s sovereign defence capability, local jobs and a network of UK suppliers.
The transaction further reinforces the United Kingdom as one of FN Browning Group’s key centres of industrial expertise, innovation and defence manufacturing.
The acquisition reflects FN Browning Group’s strategy of investing in leading brands, reinforcing critical defence capabilities and building a long-term industrial platform across Europe and North America.
Tom Irwin, Director of Accuracy International, said, “Joining FN Browning Group opens an exciting new chapter for Accuracy International. We share the same commitment to engineering excellence, product quality and long-term investment. Becoming part of the Group provides us with additional resources, international reach and new opportunities for growth, while preserving the identity, values and expertise that have made Accuracy International a global benchmark in precision rifle systems.”
