UNITED MEXICAN STATES

The current naval flags of Mexico were adopted in 2000 and for the most part are different from those they replace only in their proportions: The latter were slightly rectangular while the current ones are square. The national flag serves as the naval ensign. Mexico follows the practice of many other nations by employing as its naval jack an historical flag: that of the Army of the Three Guarantees, which secured Mexican independence in 1821. An anchor was added to this flag to signify its new status. The commissioning pennant is triangular, with vertical stripes of green, white and red.

Position and rank flags are mostly based on the national flag, with the badge of the Navy--the Mexican eagle standing on crossed anchors, in place of the national coat of arms. When more than one flag officer is present, the senior flies a square rank flag and those subordinate a forked rank flag.The forked rank flags are also used afloat by general officers of the Mexican Marine Corps. Senior officer below flag rank in command have pennants of the same design as the rank flags, and junior officer in command have a plain green pennant.

In recent years the Mexican Navy has been modernized, commissioning several new classes of offshore patrol and coastal patrol vessels. The largest and most capable warships are four former US Navy frigates of the Knox class. These will be replaced over the next few years by eight Sigma-class patrol frigates of Dutch design, the first of which was commissioned in 2020. The Mexican Navy's primary missions are drug interdiction, fishery protection, search and rescue and disaster response, and most of its ships are optimized for these roles. There is also a small amphibious warfare squadron.