ARM Benito Juárez (POLA-101) explained

ARM Benito Juárez (POLA-101) is the lead ship of Reformador-class frigate of the Mexican Navy. Previously was named as ARM Reformador until March 2020, the ship is officially classified as "long-range ocean patrol ship" (Spanish; Castilian: Patrulla Oceánica de Largo Alcance / POLA).

Design and description

Reformador has a length of 107.14m (351.51feet), a beam of 14.08m (46.19feet) and draft of 3.75m (12.3feet). The frigate has standard displacement of 2575LT and is powered by combined diesel or electric (CODOE) type propulsion, consisted of two 9240kW diesel engines, six 735kW diesel generators, and two electric motors connected to two propellers. She has a top speed of 28kn, range of 5000NM with cruising speed of 18kn, and endurance up to 20 days. The ship has a complement of 122 personnel.[1]

The ship are armed with one Bofors 57 mm Naval Automatic Gun L/70 Mark 3, two 25 mm Rafael Typhoon Mk 38 Mod 2 remote-controlled weapon stations, and six 12.7 mm (.50 cal) M2 Browning. For surface warfare, Reformador are equipped with four RGM-84L Harpoon Block II anti-ship missile launchers, one RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile anti-aircraft missile launcher, and eight RIM-162 ESSM vertical launching system cells. For anti-submarine warfare, she is equipped with two three-tube Mark 32 torpedo tubes for Mark 54 torpedo.[2] [1]

Her sensors and electronic systems consisted of Thales SMART-S Mk2 air/surface surveillance radar, Raytheon Anschütz Synapsis navigation radar, one Thales Captas-2 towed sonar, Thales TACTICOS combat management system and ERA Indra Rigel electronic warfare suite.[1]

Reformador also has a hangar and flight deck for helicopter. She can accommodate a MH-60R Seahawk anti-submarine helicopter,[1] though in practice she usually carried an AS565 Panther helicopter.

Construction and career

The ship was laid down on 17 August 2017 at Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding in Vlissingen, the Netherlands. Similar to the Indonesian s built previously, the ship are built from six modules or sections.[3] Two modules were built by Damen Naval in Vlissingen, with another four modules built at Astillero de Marina Número 20 (ASTIMAR 20) in Mexico, which also assembled the modules and finished the ship. The two modules built in the Netherlands were transported to the Mexican shipyard for assembly.[1]

The frigate was launched and officially named as ARM Reformador (POLA-101) on 23 November 2018 in a ceremony at ASTIMAR 20 in Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, coinciding with the Mexican Navy Day.[4] The ceremony was attended by the then-President Enrique Peña Nieto. Reformador was the first large warship to be built in Mexico in more than 80 years.[1]

The ship completed sea trials in December 2019.[5] Reformador was handed over to the Mexican Navy and commissioned on 6 February 2020 in a ceremony at ASTIMAR 20 in Salina Cruz.[6] [7] The frigate was renamed to ARM Benito Juárez in March 2020, ordered by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.[8]

References

  1. Web site: 27 November 2018 . POLA Sigma 10514 ARM Reformador Frigate Launched for Mexican Navy . live . https://archive.today/20240717124436/https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/navy-news/2018/pola-sigma-10514-arm-reformador-frigate-launched-for-mexican-navy . 17 July 2024 . 1 January 2023 . Navy Recognition.
  2. Web site: 8 January 2018 . Mexico buying Harpoon, RAM missiles, MK 54 torpedoes for SIGMA 10514 patrol vessel . live . https://archive.today/20240717124933/https://www.navaltoday.com/2018/01/08/mexico-buying-harpoon-ram-missiles-mk-54-torpedo-for-sigma-10514-patrol-vessel/ . 17 July 2024 . 2 January 2023 . Naval Today.
  3. Web site: August 2017 . Damen Lays Keel of SIGMA 10514 Long Range Patrol Vessel for Mexican Navy . live . https://archive.today/20240717125136/https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/navy-news/2017/damen-lays-keel-of-sigma-10514-long-range-patrol-vessel-for-mexican-navy . 17 July 2024 . 1 January 2023 . Navy Recognition.
  4. Web site: SEMAR conmemora el “Día de la Armada de México” con la botadura y abanderamiento de la primera Patrulla Oceánica de Largo Alcance . Secretaría de Marina . 23 November 2018 . 2 January 2023 . ES.
  5. Web site: 27 December 2019 . Sea Trials of Damen Mexican Navy Frigate Complete . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20211024051513/https://archive.damen.com/en/news/2019/12/sea_trials_of_damen_mexican_navy_frigate_complete . 24 October 2021 . 2 January 2023 . Damen.
  6. Web site: 10 February 2020 . Damen delivers POLA Class vessel 'ARM Reformador' to the Mexican Navy . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20211025203254/https://archive.damen.com/en/news/2020/02/damen_delivers_long_range_ocean_patrol_vessel_to_the_mexican_navy . 25 October 2021 . 2 January 2023 . Damen.com.
  7. Web site: 6 February 2020 . Con el alta de la Patrulla Oceánica de Largo Alcance en el servicio activo de la Armada de México, se refuerzan las capacidades operativas. . With the entry of the Long-Range Oceanic Patrol into active service in the Mexican Navy, operational capabilities are reinforced. . live . https://archive.today/20240717125822/https://www.gob.mx/semar/prensa/con-el-alta-de-la-patrulla-oceanica-de-largo-alcance-en-el-servicio-activo-de-la-armada-de-mexico-se-refuerzan-las-capacidades-operativas-y-de-respuesta . 17 July 2024 . 2 January 2023 . Secretaría de Marina . ES.
  8. Web site: 13 May 2020 . La POLA ARM-101 “Benito Juárez” de la Armada de México podría ir a su primer ejercicio naval: RIMPAC 2020 . The Mexican Navy's POLA ARM-101 "Benito Juárez" could go to its first naval exercise: RIMPAC 2020 . live . https://archive.today/20240717130059/https://www.defensa.com/mexico/pola-arm-101-benito-juarez-armada-mexico-podria-ir-primer-naval . 17 July 2024 . 2 January 2023 . Defensa . ES.

External links

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