London, UK — UK arms manufacturer BAE Systems has withdrawn support for a commercial aircraft model, grounding a fleet that delivered humanitarian aid in Somalia and other East African countries.
The decision halted vital food shipments for millions facing starvation in countries including Somalia, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The move, first reported by The Guardian newspaper, immediately cancelled a contract with the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) to fly aid to 12 destinations in Somalia. According to the UN, 4.6 million people in the country face crisis levels of hunger.
The decision comes as BAE announced record underlying profits of £3.015 billion ($3.7 billion) for 2024, driven by increased global defence spending.
The aircraft at the center of the dispute is the BAE Advanced Turbo-Prop (ATP). Its 8.2-tonne payload and ability to use short airstrips made it ideal for remote aid delivery.
The primary sticking point is BAE’s decision to surrender the model’s “type certificate,“ which revokes its airworthiness. The last known operator, EnComm Aviation, used 12 of the aircraft for humanitarian contracts, according to The Guardian.
‘Vital supplies cut off’
EnComm Aviation said the decision grounded its 12-aircraft fleet and cut off essential aid.
“The aid our aircraft delivered provided a lifeline to the people of South Sudan, Somalia, and the DRC,“ said Jackton Obuola, EnComm Aviation’s director, in comments to The Guardian.
“BAE’s decision to suddenly withdraw support for all our planes has grounded the fleet and cut off vital supplies to those most in need,“ Obuola added.
Between March 2023 and September 2025, EnComm’s aircraft delivered 18,677 tonnes of aid. The WFP estimates one tonne of food can meet the daily needs of about 1,660 people.
EnComm is now seeking £187 million in damages, according to a pre-action letter dated October 13, 2025, first reported by The Guardian.
The letter alleges that BAE’s decision was made “without any consultation with or formal notice to EnComm.“ It claims the Nairobi-based firm was led to believe BAE would support the aircraft for at least five more years.
A BAE Systems spokesperson said: “We do not comment on potential litigation.”
Correspondence from BAE, dated May 27, 2025, reportedly stated its intention to surrender the certificate by December 2026. The letter described the decision as “permanent and irreversible.“
‘Crisis‘ levels of hunger
The grounded fleet has severe implications for regions on the brink of famine.
The cancelled WFP Somalia contract was scheduled to run from September 2025 to August 2026. It involved transporting food to regions where 4.6 million people face acute food insecurity.
Another 1.8 million children suffer from acute malnutrition, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
In South Sudan, where EnComm flew to 12 destinations, the situation is also critical. The UN warns that 7.7 million people—more than half the population—face acute food insecurity. The WFP reports that 3.2 million children and women in the country are at risk of malnutrition.
The impact extends to the DRC, which the UN described in March 2025 as facing its “worst hunger crisis ever.“ A record 27.7 million people are experiencing acute hunger, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
EnComm said it also had to cancel a 10-year agreement to operate flights to 11 destinations in the DRC, including Goma in the conflict-hit eastern provinces.
EnComm Aviation has since closed its operations in Kenya. Analysts expect BAE Systems’ profits to rise further amid globally increasing military spending.