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ARM Montes Azules
Class overview
Name	2011-2023 Montes Azules-class from 2023 Isla Tiburón-class
Builders	ASTIMAR, Oaxaca
Operators	Mexican Navy
Succeeded by	Isla Madre class
In commission	2011-present
Planned	2
Completed	2
Active	2
General characteristics
Type	Logistics ship
Displacement	3,666 t (3,608 long tons)
Length	99.8 m (327 ft)
Beam	15.24 m (50.0 ft)
Propulsion	2 × Diesel engines, 2 × shafts
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Endurance	60 days
Boats & landing craft carried	2 × LCVPs
Troops	89 officers and enlisted men
Armament	5 × Bofors 40 mm guns
Aviation facilities	Helipad

The Isla Tiburón-class logistics ship is a class of logistics ships that are operated by the Mexican Navy. They are sometimes referred to as transport ships. Until 2023 the ships were designated as the Montes Azules-class.

Design

They are the largest ship built by the Secretary of the Navy to date, in addition to the fact that it has the facility to accommodate female personnel from its own crew, not to mention that it is equipped with modern equipment that will allow it to reliably navigate.

The BAL-02 is based on the concept of the Pánuco-class tank landing ships, they hold a crew of 89 members, including female personnel. Its length (length) is 99.80 meters, the beam (width) is 15.24 meters, it will reach a speed of up to 12 knots with an autonomy (maximum time without refueling) of 60 days and a maximum displacement of 3,666 tons. While the propulsion plant consists of two diesel internal combustion engines of 1,750 BHP at 1,000 RPM each.

The Logistics Support Ships project was born from the need to rethink the definition of the basic characteristics of the surface units required by the Mexican Navy, to fulfill its mission in terms of supporting the civilian population in disaster areas, by transporting and disembarkation of vehicles, supplies and personnel on beaches and/or docks. they have a platform for the helicopter to takeoff and land (MI-17 and UH-60 Black Hawk) and a JP-5 fuel supply system for helicopters, with a storage capacity of 15,000 liters. In addition, it will have two landing craft with the capacity to transport personnel and load vehicles.

On this occasion the investment of the BAL-02 was not specified, but the first largest ship built in Semar shipyards was the ARM Montes Azules (BAL-01), very similar to the later BAL-02 and launched in August 2011, for an investment cost of 24 million dollars. The two ships were renamed, and redesignate Isla Tiburón-class in 2023.

Ships in the class

See also

• List of ships of the Mexican Navy
• Landing ship, tank
• Logistics ship

References

1. "Mexican Navy Armada de México - Frigate Corvette Patrol Vessel". www.seaforces.org. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
2. ^ Infodefensa.com, Revista Defensa. "Botado al mar buque de apoyo logístico Libertador de la Armada de México". Infodefensa (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 January 2022.
3. "Acuerdos Secretariales para Unidades de Superficie" (PDF) (in Spanish). Armada de Mexico. January 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
4. "Inauguran el buque más grande construido en México". www.mundomaritimo.cl. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
5. "Comunicado de Prensa 177/2012". 14 September 2012. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2022.

• Amphibious warfare vessels of the Mexican Navy
• Amphibious warfare vessel classes