British defence giant halts aircraft support, disrupting aid flights to South Sudan

LONDON – British arms manufacturer BAE Systems has withdrawn technical and certification support for the Advanced Turbo-Prop (ATP) aircraft, a move that has effectively grounded the last commercial planes used to deliver humanitarian aid to remote and conflict-affected parts of East and Central Africa, including South Sudan.

The decision follows BAE Systems’ move to shut down its commercial aviation division, a step the company says aligns with its strategic focus on defence projects as NATO members push to increase military spending. However, humanitarian operators warn that the timing and manner of the withdrawal have had devastating consequences for aid delivery and regional employment.

“At a time of record profits, BAE Systems is shuttering its commercial aviation division to pursue projects related to NATO nations’ 5% increase in defence spending,” said Tommy Warren, a consultant at Trafalgar Strategy, in a statement shared with Sudans Post on behalf of EnComm Aviation. He added that the decision “directly imperils the distribution of aid across East Africa.”

BAE has announced it will withdraw and voluntarily surrender the airworthiness type certificate for the ATP, its last remaining commercial aircraft.

The ATP has long been used by United Nations agencies, including the World Food Programme (WFP), because of its ability to operate on short and rough airstrips common in places such as South Sudan, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Since 2023, EnComm Aviation, a Kenyan air cargo operator focused on humanitarian missions, has been the sole remaining operator of the ATP worldwide. Between March 2023 and September 2025, EnComm aircraft transported 18,677.13 metric tonnes of aid cargo to Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and Chad.

According to EnComm, the grounding of the aircraft came as a shock. In emails and meetings with BAE’s senior leadership, the company says it was “led to believe BAE would provide continued support for its ATP for at least five years and so long as there was one ATP aircraft type in operation.” Yet, “just over a year later, BAE pulled support for the ATP completely,” the statement says.

EnComm further claims that “at no point did BAE provide any opportunity for consultation or stakeholder engagement or speak to EnComm Aviation, despite claiming to do so.” The withdrawal notice was issued on 27 May 2025, just five days after EnComm had received confirmation that its upcoming, year-long WFP contract had been approved.

The impact has been immediate and severe. EnComm Aviation has shut down its operations in Kenya, resulting in more than 50 job losses. The closure also forced the cancellation of its WFP contract, which was expected to run for a year and support aid delivery across multiple crisis zones.

The shutdown has also placed international financing arrangements at risk. In 2017, EnComm entered into a USD 16 million financing agreement with Malmö-based West Atlantic to purchase four ATP aircraft. The loan was backed by Sweden’s Exportkreditnämnden (EKN) and Svensk Exportkredit (SEK). EnComm now warns that EKN “could lose USD 16 million” as a result of the aircraft being grounded.

“This financing is now at risk,” EnComm said, adding that its operations have been “virtually shut down” following BAE’s decision to withdraw support.

BAE’s move comes against the backdrop of rising defence spending across Europe. In recent months, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer recommitted Britain to spending 3% of GDP on defence by the next parliament, while NATO has pledged to move towards a 5% target by 2035. BAE has continued to secure major defence contracts, including a £10 billion deal to supply Norway with frigates designed for anti-submarine warfare.

EnComm Aviation has since submitted a pre-action legal letter to BAE Systems and is seeking up to USD 250 million in losses and damages, alleging negligent misrepresentation and misstatement. The case raises wider concerns about the fragility of humanitarian logistics in regions such as South Sudan, where air transport is often the only viable means of delivering life-saving assistance to