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Mexican Navy commissions first POLA long-range OPV

By Santiago Rivas |

The Mexican Navy’s first POLA (Patrulla Oceánica de Largo Alcance) long-range ocean patrol vessel, ARM Reformador (101), was commissioned on 6 February, the service has announced.


        ARM
        Reformador
        is based on the Damen SIGMA 10514 light frigate design.
       (Damen)

ARM Reformador is based on the Damen SIGMA 10514 light frigate design. (Damen)

Reformador is based on the Damen Shipyards SIGMA 10514 light frigate design, displacing 2,570 tonnes, with a length of 105.1 m, a beam of 14 m, and a draft of 3.7 m.

The ship was launched on 23 November 2018 and completed sea acceptance trials in December 2019. Construction was split between Mexico and the Netherlands. Four of the OPV’s six modular sections were built at the Mexican Navy’s ASTIMAR Salina Cruz shipyard in Oaxaca, and two were built by Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding at its yard in Vlissingen.

Final assembly and systems integration took place in Mexico, with assistance from Damen. Construction on the second ship will follow the same plan, but from the third ship onward they will be built entirely in Mexico.

Reformador is equipped with Thales’ TACTICOS combat management system, SMART-S air/surface surveillance radar, and STIR EO fire-control radar, a Raytheon Anschütz Synapsis navigation radar, and the Thales CAPTAS variable depth sonar. The electronic support measures suite is provided by Spain’s Indra.

Armament includes RGM-84L Harpoon Block II surface-to-surface missile launchers, RIM-116 RAM Block II surface-to-air missiles, Raytheon MK 54 Mod 0 torpedoes, a 57 mm BAE Systems Bofors Mk 3 gun, and four mounts for 12.7 mm machine guns.

The ship can also deploy interceptor boats from the stern and has a flight deck and hangar for a medium helicopter.

Reformador

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