# US donated $30 million C-130 Hercules to Botswana

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2024/07/us-donated-30-million-c-130-hercules-to-botswana/
- Published: 2024-07-03T17:38:58+01:00
- Author: Military Africa

The United States has gifted a C-130H Hercules cargo aircraft to [Botswana](https://www.military.africa/tag/botswana/),
reinforcing the country’s military and humanitarian capabilities. The aircraft, 
valued at $30 million (approximately 400 million Pula), will play a crucial role
in [supporting missions](https://www.military.africa/2024/04/botswanas-exit-marks-a-turning-point-in-cabo-delgados-security-mission/)
both within Botswana and across the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
region.

The donation coincided with the Africa Chiefs of Defence Conference held in Botswana
last week.

The US Embassy in Gaborone said the aircraft (OM4) arrived in Botswana on 24 May
and was formally handed over at Sir Seretse Khama International airport in a ceremony
on Thursday 27 June.

The aircraft is worth $30 million (400 million Pula) and was delivered under the
United States Air Force Excess Defence Articles programme.

“The transfer of this aircraft from the United States to Botswana is a testament
to how the US and Botswana work together to further a shared commitment to peace,
security, and prosperity in the region,” stated US Ambassador to Botswana Howard
Van Vranken.

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“The United States is honoured to play a role in ensuring that the Botswana Defence
Force has the capability to perform vital missions not only in Botswana, but when
called upon regionally as well.

“The delivery of this plane on the heels of the African Chiefs of Defence Conference
underscores the theme for this week: ‘Together on the Ramparts.’ It’s a tangible
example of the United States and Botswana’s commitment to meaningfully contribute
to regional stability, safety, and prosperity,” Van Vranken added.

“This donation enhances Botswana’s strategic airlift capabilities and supports your
national and regional objectives. From Botswana’s track record of utilising the 
older C-130B aircraft, this new addition will undoubtedly play pivotal roles in 
a variety of missions, including delivering humanitarian aid and supporting peacekeeping
missions — much as the C-130B did for the Southern African Development Community(
SADC) Mission in Mozambique.

“We look forward to seeing the Hercules aircraft flying safely in many missions 
that benefit both Botswana and the broader SADC region,” the Ambassador concluded.

Kagiso Mmusi, Minister of Defence and Security, said the handover has made him very
happy. “The C-130H couldn’t have come at a better time than this moment. Just a 
year ago, the last C-130B, which has served us fabulously for a quarter of a century,
was grounded. This happened…just after it had deployed our troops to Cabo Delgado
under the SADC mission in Mozambique (SAMIM). Then it delivered disaster relief 
to Malawi following the recent floods in that sister nation.

“This region has not been spared from the ever-growing effects of global warming,
which have increased the frequency and severity of climate-related natural disasters
with the resultant deaths and destruction. I cannot overemphasise the value of the
C-130 aircraft in our response to contingencies of such nature. This aircraft can
operate from [the] underdeveloped ground, rough and dirt strips of our side of the
world as the prime transport for dropping troops and equipment in operational areas
or supplies in disaster-hit areas.

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“Since 1997 the C-130B fleet has been the backbone of BDF air operations. It has
been employed locally, regionally and internationally as one of Botswana’s instruments
of national power. Grounding of the C-130B last year has therefore greatly degraded
the BDF’s operational capability. Hence my earlier remark that receiving the C-130H
could not have come at a better time.”

Mmusi said the BDF has diligently performed a variety of mission using these aircraft
over the years. These include supporting the United Nations mission in Sudan, African
Union missions, SAMIM operations, security cooperation exercises such as SADC air
power exercises, and special forces exercises with international forces.

“In addition, Botswana hosts the SADC Standby Force Logistic Depot to support peace
support and disaster relief operations. The depot will be prepositioning supplies
and logistics for SADC peace support and disaster relief missions. Currently the
critical hinderances that undermine Africa’s peace support and disaster relief effort
is lack of airlift capability. And there is no better aircraft to address this than
the C-130. I am convinced that Botswana is in good stead to be the centre of excellence
for Africa’s strategic airlift capability. We have thus far demonstrated capacity
to operate and maintain a sizeable C-130 fleet. A lot of investment has been made
over the years to capacitate the defence force in terms of logistics, support facilities,
equipment and skills development for both operators and maintainers of the C-130
aircraft.

“The capabilities and competencies developed for operation of our C-130Bs are applicable
and very relevant to the C-130H model. Since the differences between the two are
minor, acquiring more aircraft would therefore require a relatively minor capital
investment on our part. Government has committed to ensure the BDF has a budget 
for the C-130H aircraft induction and to put it into operation as quickly as the
processes allow.

“Botswana is not just focussed internally. When we request for more aircraft we 
want to develop an airlift capability for the region and to support global peace
and security. I consequently invite you, Africom Commander General [Michael] Langley,
to partner with us in convincing the US government on how much capacitating the 
BDF will mean for African peace and security.”

Concluding his remarks, Mmus said the BDF and the C-130H “shall remain a force for
good.”

Major General Hendrick Thuthu Rakgantswana, Chief of Botswana’s Air Arm Command,
thanked the US for capacitating the BDF with the aircraft. “We just finished the
African Chiefs of Defence Conference and our theme was Together on the Ramparts.
Expanding collaboration and shared values is what General Langley was saying throughout
the conference and we see this now manifesting in us receiving this aircraft.”

Rakgantswana said the acquisition of the C-130H is a step in the right direction,
but he wants officials to start engaging the US government for additional aircraft.“
With just one aircraft in my inventory that means if just a little screw falls off,
I’m down to zero. So, we can see that as much as we appreciate this donation we 
are not where we want to be.”

He also pushed for spares for the aircraft, and an avionics upgrade.

The BDF acquired three former US C-130B Hercules for Z10 Squadron from the North
Carolina Air Guard through the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Programme.
One (OM1) was subsequently placed in storage, leaving two (OM2 and OM3) in active
service until the recent grounding.

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