The Royal Gun Factory was a historic institution of the British armed forces, responsible for designing and producing some of the most sophisticated weaponry of its time. As such, it has been referred to by a variety of different names, including the Royal Arsenal, the Woolwich Arsenal, Ordnance Factory Woolwich, and the Royal Ordnance Factory. These synonyms reflect the changing roles and functions of the institution over time, as well as its shifting relationships with various branches of the military and government. Despite these variations, however, the basic mission of the factory remained constant: to deliver the highest-quality weapons to the British armed forces and to maintain a position of technological superiority.