The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) granted two new licenses for the export of trainer aircraft for combat pilots and “targeting equipment” to Israel, Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) can reveal. This is despite concerns about potential ‘auto-diversion’ of military equipment by Israel, and its ongoing use of combat aircraft, including the 15% UK-made F-35 in its genocidal onslaughts.
Published on 30 April, CAAT analysed fresh UK export licensing statistics covering 2025 Q4, and found that licenses totalling £20.5m were issued for exports to Israel, of which £11m was for incorporation, with £9.5m being standard (not for re-export). [i]
Of particular concern is an Open Individual Export License (OIEL) issued for military “components and technology for targeting equipment”, to the value of £8.7m, despite the UK government’s September 2024 suspension of such licenses for fear of use in Israel’s genocide in Gaza, Palestine.
When queried about the export license’s compliance with UK policy, DBT told one journalist that the license “…covers items for re-export from Israel, and the Government of Israel is not an end-user or ultimate end-user. This is consistent with our suspension…” [ii]
However, there are longstanding concerns about potential diversion of military equipment by Israeli arms companies, by failing to retransfer military materiel and instead assigning it to an unauthorised end-user such as the Israel Defence Forces, for use in Gaza. Such a move would be a breach of the license and would constitute a potential criminal offence in UK courts.
Ministers have previously stated that they would revoke a licence should there be “any evidence” that exported equipment had not ended up where it was supposed to. However, there are no known efforts by the UK government to confirm the fate of its military exports.
In March an investigation revealed that an Elbit-owned subsidiary in the UK sent dozens of drone components, including Watchkeeper engines, to Israel over 18 months. However, Israel had failed to retransfer the equipment to Romania as stipulated in the license, citing force majeure from its assault on Gaza.
Despite repeated UK government assurances that the equipment was for re-export, the contract with Romania has still not been fulfilled. Two days after Romania threatened to cancel the contract, Elbit announced it would start delivering the drones. Complete delivery of the components remains to be seen as Israel continues its regional assault.
Another OIEL issued in 2025 Q4 was for components for military training aircraft, and technology for same, for transfer to France, Greece, Israel, Italy. This license is likely to be for the UK subsidiary of the US aerospace firm Moog, for the M-346 Lead-In Fighter Trainer aircraft produced by Leonardo in Italy.
The M-346 is used for every phase of advanced and pre-operational training of Israeli pilots, before they fly combat missions in Gaza, Iran and Lebanon using the F-16 and F-35. Its purpose is to reduce flight hours on significantly more expensive frontline aircraft. Israel has caused massive devastation with F-35 jets across Gaza, Iran and Lebanon. [iii]
Similar components shipped by Moog from the UK were recently seized in Belgium. It followed a complaint by a coalition of journalists and NGOs who alerted the authorities that the transfer did not carry the requisite licence. In any case, Belgium would have refused to issue a transit license due to its policy on arms transfers to Israel. It has since opened a criminal investigation.
The largest part of the standard licences was £8.7m for components for military training equipment. The nature of the equipment is unclear, prompting fears that it may be used to train Israeli troops prior to deployment in Gaza and Lebanon.
CAAT Research Coordinator, Sam Perlo-Freeman commented:
These new export licenses show just how willing the UK is to continue enabling Israel’s genocidal assaults, while staying within the technical rule of a vastly insufficient and ineffective policy towards IDF war crimes.
The targeting equipment for which DBT granted a license, for transfer to and re-export by Israel, could easily be used in Gaza. Given Israel’s history of weapons diversion and illicit transfers, and outstanding questions about Elbit drone components failing to arrive in Romania, there remains a grave risk that Israel will auto-divert the targeting equipment to the IDF for use in Palestine.
DBT is relying on end-user undertakings that hold no legal force in Israel, which the UK government does not check up on and cannot enforce. The exporter is technically in-the-clear, so long as it can’t be shown they knew the end-user undertaking was false.
The license for transfer of M-346 trainer aircraft components and technology shows DBT don’t care whether they’re contributing to war crimes, by enabling the use of fighter jets that cause unprecedented suffering across the Middle East. They’re simply doing the absolute bare minimum to keep to the terms of government policy, which itself was the absolute bare minimum they could get away with.
ENDS
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Notes to the editor
Breakdown of export licenses to Israel:
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£20m worth licenses were issued for exports to Israel, of which £11.0m was for incorporation, and £9.5m standard (not for re-export)
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Of the £11m for incorporation, £8.7m was components for targeting equipment
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Of the £9.5m standard (not for re-export), £8.7m is military training equipment components.
Press query by independent investigative journalist, Namir Shabibi, to which DBT responded on 6 May, including the following written response from a “government spokesperson”:
We have suspended or refused export licences where it was assessed the items might be used in military operations in Gaza, as set out to Parliament. This has included relevant targeting equipment.
This particular licence covers items for re-export from Israel, and the Government of Israel is not an end-user or ultimate end-user. This is consistent with our suspension and relevant footnotes for this licence will be updated to make this clear for future statistical releases.
The UK produces roughly 15% of the value of the F-35 fighter jet and its ongoing support for the global programme was exempted in the UK government’s suspension.
