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The UK's leading arms manufacturer has quietly ended maintenance for a fleet of planes that were delivering crucial humanitarian aid to some of the globe's most impoverished nations.

Aid Emergency Worsens in Multiple African Nations

This move further reduces the delivery of crucial assistance to countries facing serious humanitarian crises, including South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This defense corporation recently reported historic profits of over three billion pounds, supported by rising military spending linked to global conflicts.

Industry observers suggest the action to scrap support for the humanitarian aircraft was made to enable the company to focus on projects related to increased defense budgets by global organizations.

Significant Aid Agreements Terminated

Multiple important aid agreements have been cancelled following the announcement, among them one with the United Nations' WFP to deliver aid to 12 locations across East Africa where nearly five million people face crisis levels of food insecurity.

The development follows the firm's decision to willingly surrender the airworthiness approval granted by the UK's aviation regulator for its final civilian plane type.

The company notified EU aviation authorities that these models were not produced and that, as far as they knew, very few aircraft remained in service.

Consequences on Humanitarian Missions

Though several nations still have the aircraft listed, the final operator was a Kenyan cargo operator that focused in transporting humanitarian aid across east Africa.

"The aid our aircraft provided offered a crucial support to the people of South Sudan and the DRC during a time of great global uncertainty," stated the company's director.

"The unexpected withdrawal of maintenance for all fleet has grounded the planes and halted vital supplies to those most vulnerable. Now, the populations of east Africa face an increasingly perilous situation while the company prioritizes their own profits."

Between March 2023 and last month, the aircraft transported nearly 19,000 tons of aid to South Sudan, Tanzania, Central African Republic and additional African nations.

Nutrition Security Calculations

According to aid organizations, one tonne of food – typically containing cereals, legumes and cooking oil – can meet the everyday needs of approximately 1,660 individuals.

The specific plane model was regarded perfect for humanitarian missions because it could operate on smaller airstrips that are common in remote areas. Each plane could transport a load of 8.2 tonnes.

Juridical Action Started

A legal letter submitted by lawyers acting for the operator to the company states that, following the decision, its 12 humanitarian aircraft "cannot be operated" and are now "worthless for their intended use".

This documentation cites emails and meetings between the manufacturer's executives and the airline that the Kenyan company asserts demonstrate it was given the impression that ongoing support would be provided for at least five years.

This communication adds that the action was taken "with no any discussion with or formal notification to" the operator.

A representative for the arms company said: "The company do not provide statements on ongoing litigation."

Irreversible Action

At the same time, correspondence from the manufacturer show that its move to withdraw the safety approval for the planes is "final and irreversible".

One letter from the arms company's director of regional airplane programmes, from May 2025, stated the company intended to inform the UK aviation regulator it wanted to "start the procedure to willingly relinquish the model approval."

Aid Emergency Data

• In Somalia, over four million individuals face emergency situations of hunger
• Nearly 1.8 million young children aged below five years are experiencing acute hunger
• In South Sudan, over seven million individuals face acute hunger – over 50% the total population
• A record over 27 million people in the DRC are experiencing acute hunger

This crisis is worst in eastern provinces where families have lost ability to their income sources after extended conflict in the area.

Following the company's decision, the operator has ceased activities in East Africa and is now claiming £187m in damages and restitution for what it calls "negligent false information and inaccurate statements" by the company.

Market analysts expect the defense manufacturer's earnings to grow more this year as it benefits from rising defense expenditure worldwide amid increasing global tensions.