Mexican Military

[fylr71]

Mexico seems to be spending money on the navy especially on stealth corvettes
4 Sierra Class
4 Durango Class
2 Oaxaca Class
plus a program for a new frigate and the planned purchase of 2 CN-235

In the meantime, the Army only got a new assault rifle, the FX-05. It lacks any kind of MBT and most capable vehicle is the ERC-90

The airforce is even more neglected it is amazing that a country with a GDP of over $1 trillion USD and a military budget of over $6 billion USD would only have 8 F-5 for their combat aircraft. Even Bangladesh which has a larger population, 1/3 of Mexico's GDP, 1/5 of Mexico's per capita GDP, and 1/6 of Mexico's military budget, has numerous type 79 MBT, J-7 and Mig-29 fighters, and have showed interest in the JF-17. Additionally their navy is quite capable.
Why has the Army and Air Force been so negelected? It seems logical that the Mexican military is due for a major upgrade. What type MBTs and fighters will the Mexicans end up with if and when they are procured?

 

[PullerRommel]

IMHO They dont really care about there military they really dont have a threat other than Marxist guerillas, indians, and drug lords

 

[rrrtx]

Mexico faces no external threats. The USA would cover any outside security challenges. Mexico, like Canada, has nothing to worry about as they fall under the protective umbrella of the US.

 

[Sea Toby]

If the United States interferes in Afghanistan and Iraq for security reasons, and with the Rio Pact in place, the US wouldn't hesitate to interfere in Mexico either, considering the amount of oil in Mexico. Its a no brainer. As it is the only nation capable of beating Mexico is the United States.

Mexico does invest enough to handle its immediate security needs. Notice its investment for a coast guard type of navy. Its army is sufficient to handle any uprisings. Its air force investments is sufficient to handle its army's needs for close air support.

While many of its armed forces assets maybe old, to do the job Mexico asks for, its assets are sufficient. Unlike Canada, Mexico does not have a treaty relationship with NATO. Canada has chosen to be involved in Europe, Mexico hasn't.

 

[contedicavour]

Mexico seems to be spending money on the navy especially on stealth corvettes
4 Sierra Class
4 Durango Class
2 Oaxaca Class
plus a program for a new frigate and the planned purchase of 2 CN-235

In the meantime, the Army only got a new assault rifle, the FX-05. It lacks any kind of MBT and most capable vehicle is the ERC-90

The airforce is even more neglected it is amazing that a country with a GDP of over $1 trillion USD and a military budget of over $6 billion USD would only have 8 F-5 for their combat aircraft. Even Bangladesh which has a larger population, 1/3 of Mexico's GDP, 1/5 of Mexico's per capita GDP, and 1/6 of Mexico's military budget, has numerous type 79 MBT, J-7 and Mig-29 fighters, and have showed interest in the JF-17. Additionally their navy is quite capable.
Why has the Army and Air Force been so negelected? It seems logical that the Mexican military is due for a major upgrade. What type MBTs and fighters will the Mexicans end up with if and when they are procured?

You mention a new frigate programme ?? To replace the Bronsteins and Knox ? Strange... don't waste money, take second hand OHPs from the USN. The OPVHs being built are very good, Mexico would need 80+ to patrol its immense coastline on both gulf and pacific ocean

cheers

 

[Sea Toby]

Why buy frigates? Mexico has not operated any frigates with anti-air missiles I am aware of. Might as well as buy OPVs frigate sized. Unfortunately, Mexico is able to receive cast off US Navy ships for less than the price of new OPVs. In fact, its the same across Latin America with navies acquiring cast off ships from European navies for less than the price of new OPVs.

Almost all of the nations are members of the Rio Pact and the OAS. The Pope is handy and willing to settle any dispute. Outside of proper EEZ patrols, none of the nations need a warship.

 

[Mobius117]

Indeed, Mexico needs a military geared towards irregular and counter-insurgency operations, as stated before their immediate defense needs are taken care of by the United States, whose Navy and Air Force (along with their counterpart Commands in the Canadian Forces) are deployed to counter any immediate air or seaborne threat to the northern part of the Western hemisphere, most immediately from the Russian Federation and People's Republic of China.

 

[DefConGuru]

Mexico doesn't have enemies outside its borders. They only need equipment which the average marxist guerilla or indigenious native doesn't have. Hell a rubber boat with 50 cal`s would be sufficient.

 

[Manfred2]

WHat Mexico needs to invest in is a first-rate intelligence service.

It's true that they face no threat from the Western Hemisphere, not yet. Forewarned can be fore-armed, or at least it helps to be.

Drug Cartels and other criminals are a seroius threat, the bribes and other forms of subversion keep Mexico moribund and inneficient.

This fixation on the navy makes a cretain amount of sense. Anyone who could, or who would want to, invade Mexico has to cross an ocean. I also hear an increasing amount of resentment against the Chinese, who are spoken of in the same way that the Germans used to speak of the Jews. Economic opportunism is not teh whole point, either. THere seems to be some concern that China might be looking for room to expand into Latin America.
Sound far-fetched? Talk to someone South of the Border. Percption is 90% of public relations, after all.

And if Mexico wanted to make a good contribution to protecting it's hemisphere, what better way than a squadron of Frigates?

 

[swerve]

Mexico doesn't have enemies outside its borders. They only need equipment which the average marxist guerilla or indigenious native doesn't have. Hell a rubber boat with 50 cal`s would be sufficient.

No, the drug smugglers have much better equipment than that.

 

[rrrtx]

WHat Mexico needs to invest in is a first-rate intelligence service.

It's true that they face no threat from the Western Hemisphere, not yet. Forewarned can be fore-armed, or at least it helps to be.

Drug Cartels and other criminals are a seroius threat, the bribes and other forms of subversion keep Mexico moribund and inneficient.

This fixation on the navy makes a cretain amount of sense. Anyone who could, or who would want to, invade Mexico has to cross an ocean. I also hear an increasing amount of resentment against the Chinese, who are spoken of in the same way that the Germans used to speak of the Jews. Economic opportunism is not teh whole point, either. THere seems to be some concern that China might be looking for room to expand into Latin America.
Sound far-fetched? Talk to someone South of the Border. Percption is 90% of public relations, after all.

And if Mexico wanted to make a good contribution to protecting it's hemisphere, what better way than a squadron of Frigates?

Good point about the drug cartels. Although I generally dislike the idea of using the military instead of police forces for internal security challenges it seems to me that the cartels are a fundamental problem that must be solved before the country is able to progress politically and economically.

 

[Incognito129]

uh Mexico has an enormous amount of poverty to deal with before a viable navy becomes an option.

 

[funtz]

uh Mexico has an enormous amount of poverty to deal with before a viable navy becomes an option.

that is a decision that is reserved for the Mexican government? Or to the people of that Nation?

 

[swerve]

uh Mexico has an enormous amount of poverty to deal with before a viable navy becomes an option.

So - any country poorer than Mexico should not have armed forces? I suggest you go to Beijing, Delhi, Brasilia, Cairo, Ankara etc. & tell them that. I'm sure they'll take your advice kindly.

 

[DefConGuru]

Beijing, Delhi, Ankara, Brasilia and Cairo all have gdp's and defence budgets that dwarf Mejico's by far. Mexico has every right to defend itself but the people of Mexico also have the right to be fed and educated.

 

[F-15 Eagle]

To be honest with you guys I did not even know Mexico had a military.:unknown

 

[Incognito129]

Maybe you should should go tell the Mexicans they are going to live in poverty a little bit longer because the Mexican gov't wants an army.

Then tell the kid starving living in a shack.

 

[funtz]

OK, so that is the solution to the economic problems faced by Mexico, stop building an army, very simple.

 

[swerve]

Maybe you should should go tell the Mexicans they are going to live in poverty a little bit longer because the Mexican gov't wants an army.

Then tell the kid starving living in a shack.

That's income distribution, not the poverty of the country. Mexico is not a poor country, it is an unequal one. The average Mexican is overfed: Mexico has higher obesity levels than any European country - higher than the UK, where we think it's a serious problem. Real GDP per head is about what it was in the UK when I was born, & we had several aircraft carriers & three types of nuclear bomber back then without anyone going hungry.

 

[swerve]

Beijing, Delhi, Ankara, Brasilia and Cairo all have gdp's and defence budgets that dwarf Mejico's by far. Mexico has every right to defend itself but the people of Mexico also have the right to be fed and educated.

Per head, all the countries of which they are capitals are poorer. Turkey & Egypt (the latter has less than half Mexican GDP per head: Turkey is about 70%) also have smaller populations, meaning their total GDPs are much smaller than Mexicos. Total GDP of Mexico is 3 times that of Egypt, twice that of Turkey. You can look it up for yourself.

BTW, I've used PPP figures. At current exchange rates, the comparison is more in Mexicos favour.