Botswanan Air Force

The Botswana Defence Force Air Wing (BDFW) is a small, professional air arm primarily structured for internal security and national sovereignty missions. Its operational doctrine is defensive, focusing on border and wildlife patrol, counter-poaching, and providing mobility for ground forces. The BDFW lacks recent combat experience, with its only significant foreign deployments being peacekeeping operations in Somalia and Mozambique in the early 1990s.

The BDFW is organized into squadrons, each designated with a "Z". Most flying units are stationed at Thebephatshwa Air Base, also known as Maparangwane. This main operational base was developed with extensive facilities in the 1990s. Francistown International Airport serves as a secondary joint civilian/military airfield. Command and control capabilities were improved in 2005 through the integration of an Indra-supplied air defense command and control system, which networks surveillance radars and operational control posts to monitor the nation's airspace. The BDFW's operational capabilities are centered on transport, surveillance, and limited air defense. Its helicopter assets, mainly Bell 412s and AS350s, are utilized for troop transport, medical evacuation, and supporting anti-poaching operations. Unmanned aerial vehicles, reportedly including the Elbit Hermes 450, contribute to surveillance tasks along the border.

The BDFW has sought a replacement for its ex-Canadian CF-5 fighters for over a decade due to maintenance challenges. After considering the KAI T-50, second-hand F-16s, and the Saab Gripen C/D, recent reports indicate discussions with India for the HAL Tejas light fighter. In 2011, the BDFW acquired five Pilatus PC-7 MkII turboprop trainers, which replaced the older PC-7 fleet and included a ground-based training system. The strategic airlift capability has been sustained with the acquisition of an ex-USAF C-130H to supplement its existing C-130 fleet.