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The UK's primary arms company has quietly ended support for a fleet of aircraft that were providing life-saving emergency assistance to among the world's most impoverished countries.

Aid Crisis Deepens in Multiple African Countries

This decision further reduces the distribution of crucial assistance to nations facing serious humanitarian crises, such as Somalia and the DRC.

The arms firm recently reported historic earnings of over £3bn, boosted by rising defense spending linked to global tensions.

Industry observers believe the action to scrap support for the aid fleet was taken to allow the company to focus on projects connected with increased military spending by global organizations.

Significant Aid Contracts Cancelled

Several critical humanitarian agreements have been terminated since the announcement, including one with the UN's WFP to deliver supplies to 12 locations across Somalia where almost 5 million individuals face emergency levels of food insecurity.

The development comes after the company's decision to willingly relinquish the airworthiness approval issued by the UK's aviation regulator for its last commercial plane type.

This company notified EU aircraft authorities that these models were not manufactured and that, as far as they knew, very few planes remained in operation.

Consequences on Humanitarian Operations

Although multiple countries still have the planes registered, the last known user was a East African air-cargo company that specialized in delivering emergency supplies across the region.

"Our aid these aircraft delivered offered a crucial support to the people of South Sudan and the Congo during a time of great global instability," stated the operator's director.

"The sudden withdrawal of maintenance for all fleet has immobilized the planes and halted essential resources to those most in need. Now, the people of east Africa face an growing perilous crisis while the company prioritizes their own profits."

From March 2023 and recently, the fleet transported 18,677 tonnes of aid to South Sudan, Chad, Central African Republic and additional African countries.

Nutrition Needs Calculations

Per humanitarian agencies, one ton of food – typically containing grains, pulses and cooking oil – can meet the everyday needs of about over 1,600 individuals.

This specific aircraft model was regarded perfect for humanitarian missions because it could operate on smaller airstrips that are typical in isolated locations. Each aircraft could transport a payload of over 8 tons.

Juridical Action Started

A pre-action letter submitted by legal representatives representing the airline to the company states that, since the decision, its twelve humanitarian aircraft "are unable to be used" and are now "worthless for their primary purpose".

The correspondence cites emails and discussions between the company's executives and the airline that the Nairobi-based company asserts show it was given the impression that continued maintenance would be provided for a minimum of five more years.

The communication states that the action was taken "without any discussion with or formal notification to" the airline.

The representative for the defense company said: "The company do not comment on potential litigation."

Permanent Action

At the same time, correspondence from the company indicate that its move to revoke the safety approval for the planes is "permanent and irreversible".

A letter from the defense firm's director of regional aircraft programs, dated spring 2025, said the company intended to inform the British Civil Aviation Authority it wanted to "start the process to voluntarily relinquish the aircraft type certificate."

Humanitarian Crisis Data

• In Somalia, over four million people face emergency situations of hunger
• Nearly two million young children under five are suffering from severe malnutrition
• In the nation, 7.7 million people face acute food insecurity – more than 50% the total population
• An unprecedented 27.7 million people in the DRC are experiencing acute hunger

The crisis is worst in eastern provinces where families have been deprived of access to their income sources after prolonged conflict in the region.

Since the company's decision, the operator has ceased activities in East Africa and is now claiming 187 million pounds in losses and restitution for what it describes "negligent misrepresentation and inaccurate statements" by the company.

Market analysts predict the defense manufacturer's profits to increase further this year as it benefits from increased defense spending worldwide amid increasing global tensions.