Mexican Navy in the context of "Mexican Naval Aviation"

The Mexican Armed Forces (Spanish: Fuerzas Armadas de México) are the military forces of the United Mexican States. The Spanish crown established a standing military in colonial Mexico in the eighteenth century. After Mexican independence in 1821, the military played an important political role, with army generals serving as heads of state. Following the collapse of the Federal Army during the 1910–1920 Mexican Revolution, former revolutionary generals systematically downsized the size and power of the military.

The Mexican military forces are composed of two independent entities: the Mexican Army and the Mexican Navy. The Mexican Army includes the Mexican Air Force, while the Mexican Navy includes the Naval Infantry Force (Marine Corps) and the Naval Aviation (FAN). The Army and Navy are controlled by two separate government departments, the National Defense Secretariat and the Naval Secretariat, and maintain two independent chains of command, with no joint command except the President of Mexico.

The Mexican Marine Corps (Spanish: Cuerpo de Infantería de Marina; lit. 'Corps of Marine Infantry') are the naval infantry force of the Mexican Navy. The main task of the marine corps is to guarantee the maritime security of the country's ports and external and internal defense of the country. To accomplish these responsibilities, the corps is trained and equipped to take on any type of operations from sea, air and land.

The Marine Corps is additionally responsible for Mexico's naval special operations forces (SOF), managing the Mexican Navy Special Operations Unit, itself responsible for the Fuerzas Especiales (Special Forces).

The Secretariat of the Navy (Spanish: Secretaría de Marina, SEMAR) is one of the twenty-one state secretariats of the government of Mexico. It is in charge of designing, planning, executing and coordinating public policies related to the Mexican Navy.

The Secretary of the Navy is a member of the federal executive cabinet, as well as the highest-ranking Mexican naval officer with the responsibility of commanding the Mexican Navy, including the Mexican Marine Corps as well as the Mexican merchant marine service. The secretary is appointed by the President of Mexico.