ARM Oaxaca

ARM Oaxaca
History
Name	Oaxaca
Namesake	Oaxaca
Commissioned	1 May 2003
Status	in active service
General characteristics
Class and type	Oaxaca-class patrol vessel
Displacement	1,850 short tons (1,678 t)
Length	282 ft 2 in (86.00 m)
Beam	34 ft 4 in (10.46 m)
Draft	11 ft 8 in (3.56 m)
Propulsion	2 × Caterpillar 3916 V16 Diesels, 2 props
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Troops	39 Marines or Special Forces
Complement	77 Sailors
Sensors and processing systems	2 × Terma Scanter 2001 Navigation/surface search radars Selex NA-25 radar and optronic fire control system
Armament	1 × Otobreda 76 mm gun 2 × OTO Melara 12.7 mm remote-controlled naval turret Mod. 517 with M2 12.7mm machine guns 1 × OTO Melara single 30/SAFS 30 mm cannon
Aircraft carried	1 × Panther or Fennec helicopter
Aviation facilities	1 helicopter hangar and helipad

ARM Oaxaca (PO-161) is the lead ship of the Oaxaca class of patrol vessels, constructed by and for the Mexican Navy.

It has a length of 282.2 feet (86.0 m), a draft of 11.8 feet (3.6 m), a beam of 34.4 feet (10.5 m), and displaces 1,850 short tons (1,678.3 t).

Primary armament is a single OTO Melara 76 mm naval gun, with a pair of OTO Melara 12.7 mm remote controlled naval turret Mod. 517 with M2 12.7mm machine guns on each side, and an Oto Melara single 30/SAFS 30 mm cannon aft.

A helipad on the afterdeck has handling capabilities for a variety of helicopters, such as the Panther, Fennec, or the Bolkow Bo 105 Super-5.

The ship has a cruising speed of 20 knots (37 km/h), carries a complement of 77, and has provisions to carry a group of 39 special forces and/or marines for a variety of missions.

UNITAS Gold

ARM Oaxaca participated in UNITAS Gold from 25 April 2009 to 5 May 2009. The ships main guns were tested as well as a BO-105 helicopter from the ship during the sinking of the ex-USS Conolly (DD-975) 29 April. This was the first time Mexico participated in UNITAS Gold, sending ARM Oaxaca and ARM Mina. The ships also practiced fire drills and other exercises.