🔗 Share this article Britain's Largest Arms Producer Grounds Essential Aid Aircraft Delivering Food Assistance The UK's primary defense manufacturer has discreetly terminated maintenance for a group of planes that were delivering life-saving emergency assistance to some of the world's most impoverished countries. Humanitarian Emergency Deepens in Several African Nations This move diminishes the delivery of crucial assistance to nations facing serious humanitarian crises, such as South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This defense firm this year announced historic profits of over three billion pounds, supported by increased military spending linked to international tensions. Industry analysts suggest the decision to scrap support for the aid fleet was made to allow the company to pursue projects related to increased military spending by global alliances. Major Aid Contracts Terminated Several critical aid contracts have been cancelled following the decision, including one with the United Nations' World Food Programme to transport supplies to 12 locations across East Africa where almost 5 million individuals face emergency levels of food insecurity. This situation follows the firm's move to willingly relinquish the airworthiness approval issued by the UK's Civil Aviation Authority for its final commercial aircraft model. The manufacturer informed EU aircraft regulators that these models were no longer produced and that, to their knowledge, only few planes remained in service. Impact on Aid Operations Though multiple countries still have the aircraft registered, the last known operator was a East African cargo operator that focused in transporting emergency supplies across east Africa. "The assistance these planes provided represented a crucial support to the people of Somalia and the Congo during a time of significant worldwide instability," stated the company's leader. "This sudden termination of support for our entire fleet has immobilized the aircraft and cut off essential resources to those most vulnerable. Now, the people of east Africa face an increasingly dangerous crisis while the manufacturer focuses on their commercial interests." From spring 2023 and last month, the fleet transported 18,677 tonnes of aid to Somalia, Chad, Central African Republic and additional regional countries. Nutrition Needs Calculations Per humanitarian agencies, one ton of nutritional supplies – typically including cereals, pulses and oil – can satisfy the everyday requirements of about 1,660 people. The particular plane model was regarded perfect for humanitarian missions because it could function on shorter airstrips that are common in remote areas. Every aircraft could carry a load of 8.2 tonnes. Legal Action Started A pre-action document submitted by lawyers acting for the operator to the manufacturer claims that, following the decision, its twelve humanitarian planes "cannot be used" and are now "worthless for their primary purpose". The correspondence cites emails and discussions between the manufacturer's executives and the operator that the Nairobi-based company asserts show it was given the impression that ongoing maintenance would be offered for at least five years. The correspondence states that the decision was taken "with no any consultation with or official notification to" the operator. A spokesperson for the defense manufacturer stated: "We do not comment on ongoing litigation." Permanent Action At the same time, correspondence from the company show that its move to withdraw the safety approval for the planes is "permanent and unchangeable". One communication from the arms company's head of commercial aircraft programs, dated May 2025, stated the firm planned to inform the British aviation regulator it wanted to "start the process to willingly surrender the model approval." Aid Emergency Statistics Across the region, over four million individuals face emergency levels of food insecurity Nearly two million young children aged below five years are experiencing severe malnutrition In South Sudan, over seven million people face acute hunger – more than half the total population An unprecedented over 27 million people in the Congo are facing severe hunger The crisis is most severe in east regions where families have lost access to their income sources after prolonged violence in the area. Since the manufacturer's announcement, the airline has ceased activities in East Africa and is now seeking £187m in losses and restitution for what it describes "careless false information and inaccurate statements" by the manufacturer. Industry experts expect the arms company's profits to grow more this year as it profits from rising military expenditure globally amid growing international tensions.