If you initially buy enough weapons to impact your workforce or your economy significantly, you will be able to deactivate defensive weapons. If the game is not allowing you to deactivate defensive arms, then you don't have many or enough, and therefore you shouldn't deactivate. Once you do have a significant amount of weapons, passing the threshold needed to deactivate, you can deactivate as little or as many as you desire. I hope this concludes this matter.