2010 Botswana Standardization Plan (1983: Doomsday)

The Botswana Standardization Plan was a series of trials and competitions in early 2010 between several Botswanan companies to decide which company would recive government funding for their projects. The Plan was originaly proposed under the government of Ian Mmusi who wanted to standardize all of Botswana's military equipment and replace the old USSR equipment they were still using, As well as being a publicity stunt the plan had a practical undertone, The equipment being used by the army at the time was unsuited for desert combat and was two heavy to be used on the salt flats.

The idea was originaly discarded when Festus Mogae came to power but by January 2010 his transport minister had sugested that they bring back the trials, Not only to improve Botswana's military but to also improve the Botswanan Air Force and trains.

BTR-60 APC
These had been ordered from the USSR in 1981 and by the time of their arival were allready twenty years old. They were fully amphibious and were armed with a heavy machine gun. However like many vehicles employed by the BDF they were two heavy to cross the salt pans and more importantly were prone to mechanical failiure in dessert enviroments. Despite their flaws they were put to good use invading the less arid south.

Cadillac-Gage V-100
These were ordered at the same time as the BTR-60's and shared many of their features, They were also amphibious and prone to damage from sand (though less so than the BTR's) but unlike the BTR could cross the salt pans and did't sink in soft sand, There improved reliabilty was offset by the fact that they were lightly armed and their armour wasn't as good.

T54 Tank
Several of these tanks were captured by BDF forces in a skirmish with an unkown force and were taken back to botswana to be copied. Unsuprisingly they canot cross the salt pans and sink quickly in soft sand, However they are far more reliable in desert conditions as well as being heavily armoured and having a cannon. They were put to good use in the invasion of the south and Mmusi had originaly planned for them not to be replaced.

BI-21
Two major contenders emerged for the replacement of the BTR-60. Botswana Automobiles (BA) proposed a long bodied eight wheeled APC, It would be armed with a trimed down version of the T54 cannon and a coaxial heavy machine gun, It had sealed electrics and mechanical parts to deal with the dust and because of its long wheelbase and spread out weight would have been able to cross the salt pans. To allow for the heavier guns and increased pasanger space it did lose some armour. The other proposed design was from Botswanan Industries (BI) who proposed a tracked APC similar to the BMP-1, It had a 73mm cannon and machine gun as well as the capacity to have a missile attached. Its tracked system did mean it couldn't cross the salt pans but it was light enogth not to get stuck in sand and was also sandproofed. The design eventualy chosen was the BI one and it was called the BI-21.

BMS V-150
Both BI and BA both decided to use lightened versions of their proposed BTR replacements for the V-100 replacement. The BA design was shorter and only had six wheels as well has having lost the tank cannon and replacing it with heavy machine gun. The BI design lost its heavy armour and tracks and replaced them with six wheels. Botswana Military Systems (BMS) also proposed a replacement for the V-100 it was an eight wheeled APC which had no gun turret and could carry up to three section's of BDF soldiers. Seeing as the BDF allready had a tureted IFV they chose to build the BMS APC as it had the largest capacity.

BA-210
There were only two competetors for the replacement of the T54, The first by BMS was a simple conversion of the T54 to a wheeled vehicle to allow it to cross the salt pans and with reduced armour. The BA version was far more complicated and was tracked, It built on the body of the T54 but featured improved armour and a larger cannon. Unlike the BMS tank it wouldn't be able to cross the salt pans but its good weight distribution ment it would be able to survive in desert conditions. As a tank the BA version was far superior and was chosen as the sucsessor.

BAC Strikemaster
These aircraft were ordered from britain in the 1980's to form the backbone of the Botswanan Air Wing. Although originaly designed as a trainer aircraft the Strikemaster proved itself as a decent fighter-bomber in the invasion of the south. Despite its sucsess in the southern war the Strikemaster was over 40 years old by the 2000's and was a prime candidate for replacement, It is also fuel intesive and uses kerosene instead of petrol or diesel.

Bell Twin Huey/412
The Twin Huey was the BDF's main support hellicopter in the southern war and proved itself to be a good military copter. However it was lightly armoured and was vonuerable to even small arms fire. The Huey is easy to operate however and even though it is due to be replaced will propabley remain in service for use as a trainer.

BAS Skysweeper
There were two proposed replacements for the BAC Strikemaster, One was from BI and was a modified version of the Strikemaster, It came in two versions, a fighter and bomber varient. It would have been lighter and required less Kerosene. Botswana Air Systems (The company responsible for maintaining the BAW fleet) produced a turboprop aircraft that would be cheaper than the Strikemaster but still carry a similar armament and could be operated on petrol. The BAS version was chosen due to its simplicity and cheepness.

BI Lea
There was only one contender for the replacement for the Huey which was the BI Lea helicopter, It maintained the simplicity of the Huey but was more heavily armoured and the transport version could carry more passangers.