Status of Mexican Navy
- Thread starter JBodnar39
- Start date
contedicavour
New Member
My Jane's Fighting Ships is at home... but from what I recall mexico operates at least 14 OPVs with helo landing pad, and more are under construction. They are based on Spanish designs and vary from 72 meters long to 85+, armed with 57mm guns and the helo.
Other than that, there are a few Knox ex USN frigates, a couple of Bronstein ex USN frigates (totally obsolete), not to mention a WW2 vintage destroyer escort.
Recently Mexico has bought a couple of ex Israeli Saar 4 boats with SSMs !
The recent is small patrol boats and a few WW2 vintage ex USN minesweepers.
cheers
hi! first post in this forum
me be you'll find everything you want here:
http://www.semar.gob.mx/inicio_html.php
me be you'll find everything you want here:
http://www.semar.gob.mx/inicio_html.php
contedicavour
New Member
Well their 14+ OPVHs are modern patrol ships though lightly armed.
In due course all of the obsolete FFs, DEs, WW2 minesweepers etc will be deleted and replaced by those modern OPVHs and new build smaller patrol ships.
What is curious is the buy of the 2 Israeli Saar IVs.
cheers
Yes, Mexico will receive 2 Austin LPDs in the near future. The Mexican navy had difficulty responding to Hurricane Rita at Cozumel, an island off its Caribbean coast. Rita destroyed all of the docks and damaged the air traffic control tower at its airport. The LPDs will significantly improve Mexico's capability to respond to natural disasters in the future.
Since Mexico has a neutral foreign policy, its navy is more of a coast guard navy than a war fighting navy. It buys new patrol boats and OPVs, but acquires a few used American frigates, mostly for ASW, ASuW within its waters.
I suspect Mexico will upgrade its frigate force eventually with used American OHPerrys, an AAW missile capability is not a major concern.
Since Mexico has a neutral foreign policy, its navy is more of a coast guard navy than a war fighting navy. It buys new patrol boats and OPVs, but acquires a few used American frigates, mostly for ASW, ASuW within its waters.
I suspect Mexico will upgrade its frigate force eventually with used American OHPerrys, an AAW missile capability is not a major concern.
I don't know if ex-USN OHP's will be desirable anymore since they had the missile launcher removed, I know that may not be a problem for a country like Mexico but I suspect they can get ships that are cheaper to operate use less crew and are newer and more modern for the same or just a little more money.
I can't even believe they wasted all the money trying to operate WWII hulls for this long that have absolutely no valuable capabilty for the cost. I'm looking at a Sumner class destroyer DD-724 right now that was launched the same year as one of their Gearings. I couldn't imagine trying to keep this meusem peace operational for 60 years!!! The Laffey was decommed in 68' and she was considered past her service life. What is the Navy of Mexico thinking?
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contedicavour
New Member
If I were in charge, I'd scrap the remaining old ships (local museums would be happy 
) and stop bizarre purchases such as Russian Flankers or Israeli Saar IV missile boats and focus on reaching a sufficient number of OPVHs and on buying an adequate number of light helos (A109 Power would be my favourite).
cheers
) and stop bizarre purchases such as Russian Flankers or Israeli Saar IV missile boats and focus on reaching a sufficient number of OPVHs and on buying an adequate number of light helos (A109 Power would be my favourite).cheers
I'm a little surprised at the lack of modernization for the Mexican navy given their extensive coastline on two oceans. I mean I knew they were no major power but didn't know they were a missile poor Patrol boat navy. Chile, Peru, Venezuela, Argentina, and of course Brazil, have all put more resources and sound theory into their naval procurements.
As I recall history, Santa Anna fought the American-Mexican war during the 1840s to gain an undisputed border with the United States. Today, Mexico does not have any border disputes with any of its neighbors. They have all been settled by treaties.
While the four Knox class have ASROC launchers and ASW torpedo tubes, there are no missiles or torpedoes to use them. Mexico bought these leftovers for $7 million each, sufficient as ocean going gunboats. Besides the two Bronsteins based at Manzanino as training ships, the rest of their fleet is mostly OPVs and patrol boats required to defend their fisheries and provide search and rescue capabilities.
Recently two Newport LSTs were acquired to replace older WWII LSTs. This year Mexico acquired two Austin LPDs to provide housing and sealift for their army, Mexico's answer to the aftermath of Hurricane Rita. More of a civil defence purchase than a naval purchase.
Its a coast guard type of navy, not a warfighting one. With no enemies or border disputes, Mexico refuses to intervene anywhere, even in the Caribbean. Frankly, with all of the uprisings and civil strife, Mexico's armed forces have their hands full keeping their country together than to partake in foreign entanglements or shows of force.
Considering that over ten percent of their population has left Mexico to immigrate to the United States, along with its high unemployment rate and its poverty, in my opinion Mexico is doing well building nice new OPVs.
Of course, I have a different opinion about its government's handling of its economy. With the resources Mexico has, there shouldn't be any poverty in Mexico.
While the four Knox class have ASROC launchers and ASW torpedo tubes, there are no missiles or torpedoes to use them. Mexico bought these leftovers for $7 million each, sufficient as ocean going gunboats. Besides the two Bronsteins based at Manzanino as training ships, the rest of their fleet is mostly OPVs and patrol boats required to defend their fisheries and provide search and rescue capabilities.
Recently two Newport LSTs were acquired to replace older WWII LSTs. This year Mexico acquired two Austin LPDs to provide housing and sealift for their army, Mexico's answer to the aftermath of Hurricane Rita. More of a civil defence purchase than a naval purchase.
Its a coast guard type of navy, not a warfighting one. With no enemies or border disputes, Mexico refuses to intervene anywhere, even in the Caribbean. Frankly, with all of the uprisings and civil strife, Mexico's armed forces have their hands full keeping their country together than to partake in foreign entanglements or shows of force.
Considering that over ten percent of their population has left Mexico to immigrate to the United States, along with its high unemployment rate and its poverty, in my opinion Mexico is doing well building nice new OPVs.
Of course, I have a different opinion about its government's handling of its economy. With the resources Mexico has, there shouldn't be any poverty in Mexico.
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Mexican Navy ambitions aren't as Kumbaya as you say. Care to explain why they ordered a squadron of Sukhois? They are up to something.
Inter-service rivalry. The air force has one squadron of F-5E covering the capital, trainers, COIN aircraft & transports. The navy got some E-2, & found a lot more drug smugglers & the like transiting Mexican territory than they expected. The Air Farce couldn't do anything about it without either moving their F-5Es (politically unacceptable) or getting more fighters & their own AEW (they'd never consider co-operating with the navy!). The navy saw an opportunity to put one over on the AF, by getting their own fighters, using the unauthorised transits as an excuse. Su-27 was chosen largely for its range, I think.