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

Mexican Navy

The Mexican Navy is the naval branch of the Mexican military responsible for conducting naval operations. Its stated mission is "to use the naval force of the federation for the exterior defense, and to help with internal order". The Navy consists of about 56,000 men and women plus reserves, over...

.

It has a length of 282.2 feet (86 m), a draft of 11.8 feet (3.6 m), a beam of 34.4 feet (10.5 m), and displaces 1850 short tons (1,678.3 MT).

Primary armament is a single OTO Melara 76 mm naval gun

Otobreda 76 mm

The Otobreda 76 mm gun is a naval artillery piece built by the Italian defence conglomerate Otobreda. It is based on the Oto Melara 76mm/L62 Allargato, which was bigger and heavier...

, with a pair of OTO Melara

Oto Melara

Oto Melara is an Italian defence company with factories in Brescia and La Spezia. It was founded in 1905 as a joint venture of Vickers and Terni. During World War I, Vickers Terni produced many weapons with calibre 40 mm and upwards. In 1929 the company was renamed Odero Terni Orlando with the...

 12.7 mm remote controlled naval turret Mod. 517 with M2 12.7mm machine guns on each side, and a Oto Melara

Oto Melara

Oto Melara is an Italian defence company with factories in Brescia and La Spezia. It was founded in 1905 as a joint venture of Vickers and Terni. During World War I, Vickers Terni produced many weapons with calibre 40 mm and upwards. In 1929 the company was renamed Odero Terni Orlando with the...

 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

Eurocopter Fennec

|-See also:-References:* Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.-External links:* * *...

, or the Bolkow Bo 105 Super-5.

The ship has a cruising speed of 20 knots (39.2 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 Connelly (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.