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Britain's leading arms company has quietly ended maintenance for a fleet of aircraft that were delivering crucial humanitarian aid to some of the world's most impoverished countries.

Aid Crisis Worsens in Multiple East African Nations

This decision diminishes the delivery of crucial aid to nations experiencing severe humanitarian crises, including South Sudan and the DRC.

The defense corporation recently reported historic profits of more than £3bn, boosted by increased defense spending associated with global tensions.

Market analysts believe the action to withdraw support for the aid fleet was taken to enable the firm to focus on ventures connected with increased military spending by international alliances.

Significant Aid Contracts Terminated

Several important humanitarian agreements have been cancelled following the decision, among them one with the UN's WFP to deliver aid to 12 destinations across Somalia where nearly 5 million individuals face crisis situations of hunger.

The situation comes after the company's decision to voluntarily relinquish the type certificate issued by the Britain's aviation regulator for its last commercial plane type.

This company informed European aviation authorities that these aircraft were not produced and that, as far as they knew, only few planes remained in operation.

Consequences on Aid Missions

Although several countries still have the aircraft listed, the final user was a Kenyan cargo operator that focused in delivering emergency supplies across east Africa.

"The assistance these planes provided offered a crucial support to the populations of Somalia and the DRC during a period of great worldwide instability," commented the company's director.

"The unexpected termination of maintenance for our entire fleet has grounded the aircraft and cut off essential supplies to those most vulnerable. Now, the people of east Africa face an growing dangerous crisis while the manufacturer prioritizes their own profits."

Between spring 2023 and recently, the fleet delivered 18,677 tonnes of supplies to South Sudan, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo and additional regional nations.

Nutrition Security Estimates

According to aid organizations, one ton of nutritional supplies – usually including cereals, pulses and cooking oil – can satisfy the everyday needs of approximately over 1,600 people.

The specific plane model was regarded perfect for aid operations because it could function on smaller airstrips that are common in remote areas. Each plane could carry a load of over 8 tons.

Legal Action Started

A pre-action letter submitted by lawyers representing the airline to the manufacturer claims that, since the announcement, its twelve humanitarian aircraft "cannot be operated" and are now "worthless for their primary use".

This documentation cites electronic communications and meetings between the company's executives and the operator that the Kenyan company asserts show it was given the impression that continued maintenance would be provided for at least five years.

This correspondence states that the decision was taken "with no any consultation with or official notice to" the airline.

The representative for the defense company stated: "The company do not provide statements on potential legal proceedings."

Permanent Decision

Meanwhile, documents from the company indicate that its decision to revoke the airworthiness certificate for the planes is "final and unchangeable".

One communication from the defense company's director of regional airplane programs, from May 2025, said the firm intended to notify the UK Civil Aviation Authority it wanted to "begin the process to voluntarily relinquish the aircraft type certificate."

Humanitarian Crisis Statistics

• Across the region, over four million individuals face emergency situations of hunger
• Nearly two million children under five are experiencing severe hunger
• In the nation, over seven million people face serious hunger – more than 50% the entire people
• An unprecedented 27.7 million people in the DRC are experiencing acute food shortages

This situation is most severe in eastern provinces where families have lost ability to their livelihoods after prolonged violence in the region.

Since the manufacturer's decision, the operator has ceased activities in East Africa and is now claiming £187m in losses and compensation for what it calls "careless false information and inaccurate statements" by the manufacturer.

Market experts expect the defense company's profits to increase further this year as it benefits from rising defense expenditure worldwide amid increasing global tensions.