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The UK's primary defense manufacturer has quietly ended maintenance for a fleet of aircraft that were providing crucial emergency assistance to some of the world's poorest countries.

Aid Crisis Deepens in Several East African Countries

The decision further reduces the distribution of vital assistance to nations facing serious humanitarian crises, including South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The arms corporation this year reported record earnings of over three billion pounds, boosted by increased defense expenditure linked to international conflicts.

Market analysts believe the action to withdraw maintenance for the humanitarian aircraft was taken to enable the firm to focus on projects connected with higher defense spending by international organizations.

Major Humanitarian Contracts Cancelled

Several critical humanitarian agreements have been cancelled following the announcement, among them one with the UN's WFP to transport aid to twelve locations across East Africa where almost five million people face emergency situations of food insecurity.

The situation comes after the company's move to willingly relinquish the airworthiness approval granted by the Britain's aviation regulator for its last commercial plane type.

The manufacturer notified European aircraft regulators that these aircraft were not manufactured and that, as far as they knew, very few aircraft remained in operation.

Consequences on Humanitarian Operations

Though multiple countries still have the aircraft listed, the last known user was a Kenyan cargo company that focused in transporting humanitarian aid across east Africa.

"Our assistance our planes provided represented a crucial support to the populations of Somalia and the Congo during a time of great global uncertainty," stated the operator's leader.

"This unexpected termination of support for all planes has grounded the aircraft and halted vital resources to those most in need. Currently, the people of east Africa face an increasingly dangerous crisis while the company focuses on their own interests."

From spring 2023 and last month, the fleet transported nearly 19,000 tons of supplies to Somalia, Tanzania, Central African Republic and other African nations.

Food Security Estimates

According to aid agencies, one tonne of nutritional supplies – typically containing cereals, pulses and oil – can meet the daily requirements of approximately 1,660 individuals.

This particular plane model was regarded ideal for aid operations because it could operate on smaller runways that are typical in remote locations. Each plane could carry a payload of over 8 tons.

Juridical Proceedings Started

A pre-action letter sent by legal representatives representing the operator to the company states that, following the announcement, its 12 humanitarian planes "cannot be used" and are now "worthless for their intended use".

The documentation cites electronic communications and discussions between the company's senior leadership and the airline that the Nairobi-based company claims demonstrate it was given the impression that continued maintenance would be offered for a minimum of five more years.

The communication states that the decision was taken "without any consultation with or formal notice to" the operator.

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

Irreversible Action

At the same time, documents from the manufacturer indicate that its decision to revoke the safety approval for the aircraft is "final and unchangeable".

A communication from the defense company's head of regional aircraft programmes, from May 2025, said the company planned to notify the British aviation regulator it wanted to "start the process to voluntarily surrender the model approval."

Humanitarian Crisis Statistics

• In Somalia, 4.6 million individuals face emergency levels of food insecurity
• Nearly 1.8 million children under five are suffering from acute malnutrition
• In South Sudan, over seven million individuals face acute food insecurity – more than half the entire people
• A record 27.7 million individuals in the Congo are facing severe hunger

This situation is worst in eastern provinces where families have lost access to their livelihoods after extended violence in the region.

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

Industry experts predict the defense company's profits to increase more this year as it profits from increased defense spending worldwide amid increasing international instability.