Elbit Systems loses £2bn UK army contract to rival arms firm Raytheon

Here’s some good news – genocidal Israeli arms firm Elbit Systems UK has lost a major contract with the British government. The problem is they’ve lost it to another arms giant: Raytheon. Our friends at Campaign against the Arms Trade (CAAT) announced the development:

While we welcome the loss of the contract to a subsidiary of Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer, we must oppose these investments into “preparations for war” as welfare and public investments are cut.

🚨 Elbit Systems has lost the £2bn army training contract to Raytheon UK.

While we welcome the loss of the contract to a subsidiary of Israel's largest weapons manufacturer, we must oppose these investments into "preparations for war" as welfare and public investments are cut. pic.twitter.com/wWVdGnrBVC

— Campaign Against Arms Trade (@CAATuk) January 14, 2026

Elbit Systems facilitate genocide

The Times inferred the decision was linked to a dossier handed to them in 2025. In it, a former UK general was accused of breaching lobbying rules:

The dossier accused Elbit UK of breaching business appointment rules. The whistleblower claimed that rules were breached when Philip Kimber, a former brigadier, allegedly shared information with Elbit Systems UK after he left the army.

The British government later admitted it had received but done no investigation into the dossier. And, they claimed the whole thing was an administrative error. Right.

It looked like Elbit might lose the contract straight away back in August 2025. Elbit has originally looked like a nailed-on choice to train UK troops for £2bn a year.

Middle East Eye reported:

The UK is reportedly poised to sign a £2bn ($2.69bn) contract with Israel‘s largest arms manufacturer that would see it train 60,000 British soldiers a year.

But Elbit have been under pressure for years. Elbit is deeply involved in the ongoing genocide against Palestinians:

Elbit Systems provides around 85 percent of Israel’s drones and land-based military equipment, and has played a major role in supplying Israel with weaponry for its genocide in Gaza.

Campaign against Elbit

Private Eye reported in August that the bidders for the “Army Collective Training Service contract” had been reduced to just Raytheon and Elbit:

If Elbit wins the contract it will work with the MoD to transform military training “through digitalisation, simulation, a different relationship with industry, and by changing how and where the military trains”.

Elbit is already running the British Army’s Vulcan Project:

a £57m, ten-year programme for simulation-based training of tank crews.

Action on Armed Violence also raised concerns over Elbit getting the collective training service contract in August 2025:

The contract comes at a time when Elbit’s role in Israel’s war on Gaza has come under intense scrutiny. The firm manufactures drones, artillery systems and surveillance technologies widely used by the Israel Defence Forces.

Human rights groups and activists have repeatedly linked these systems to military operations that have killed large numbers of Palestinian civilians.

There’s little doubt the years of campaigning against Elbit UK helped shape this decision. The Starmer government might not admit it, but they’ve felt the heat. That’s precisely why the government have proscribed Palestine Action, who routinely targeted Elbit over the years.

Elbit losing business is always good – but we must keep the pressure on Raytheon and any other genocide facilitator the government do business with.

Featured image via the Canary