Illustration of a Mexican Navy Oaxaca class Offshore Patrol Vessel. ARM Hidalgo is a vessel of this class.
Below is a news release from District 11 you can also see on the Coast Guard News website. There are additional photos there. I have put together photos to illustrate the type vessels involved.
190729-N-AD499-1166 SEATTLE (July 29, 2019) The Royal Canadian Navy Kingston-class coastal defence vessel HMCS Edmonton (MM 703) participates in a parade of ships in Elliott Bay during the 70th annual Seattle Fleet Week. Seattle Fleet Week 2019 is a time-honored celebration of the sea services and provides an opportunity for the citizens of Washington to meet Sailors and Coast Guardsmen, as well as witness firsthand the latest capabilities of today’s maritime services. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Victoria Foley/Released)
220209-N-IW125-1091 KEY WEST, Fla. (Feb. 9, 2022) The Navy’s 14th Independence-variant littoral combat ship, USS Savannah (LCS 28), pulls into Truman Harbor in Key West, Fla. Feb. 9, 2022. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nicholas V. Huynh)
NEWPORT, OR, UNITED STATES
08.16.2019, Coast Guard Cutter Active (WMEC 618) transits across the Pacific Ocean near Newport, Ore., in support of Operation Pacific Fortune on Aug. 16, 2019. The Active is a 210-foot Medium Endurance based out of Port Angeles, Wash. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Steve Strohmaier)
U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, Mexican Navy and Royal Canadian Navy participate in North American Maritime Security Initiative
ALAMEDA, Calif. — The U.S. Coast Guard, along with the U.S. Navy, Mexican Navy (SEMAR) and the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) participated in the North American Maritime Security Initiative (NAMSI) exercise off the coast of Manzanillo, Mexico March 27-31.
First instituted in 2008, NAMSI is an interagency and tri-lateral forum among U.S., Mexican and Canadian maritime commands intended to develop and refine maritime operations, as well as synchronize training and operational interoperability amongst forces of the three nations. The three participating nations actively seek opportunities to operate together and strengthen their cohesive approach to enhance regional maritime security in North America.
The U.S. Coast Guard District 11 and SEMAR collaborate extensively under NAMSI, conducting an average of four multinational passing exercises each year. The NAMSI Pacific Exercise (PACEX) 2023 is a full-scale Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE) based exercise that facilitates MLE operations with a SAR nexus built in. The exercise is intended to strengthen the crew’s knowledge in handling various situations and offers unique training scenarios like communication drills or maneuvering exercises.
“This exercise provides U.S., Mexico and Canada the opportunity to develop and refine our training and operations as partner nations,” said Rear Adm. Andrew Sugimoto, commander, U.S. Coast Guard District 11. “We take pride in our ability to strengthen partnerships and interoperability among the nations’ sea services.”
The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Active and the U.S. Navy Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Savannah (LCS 28), joined the SEMAR ship ARM Hidalgo and the RCN ship HMCS Edmonton, off the coast of Manzanillo in support of the NAMSI PACEX 2023. The operational units were supported by aviation assets from the U.S. Coast Guard and SEMAR, as well as the respective command centers in U.S. Coast Guard District 11, U.S. Navy 3rd fleet, SEMAR Tenth Naval Region and SEMAR headquarters.
The crews of Active and U.S. Coast Guard cutter Benjamin Bottoms also deployed in support of Operation GREEN FLASH (OGF). OGF is the operationalization of NAMSI procedures leveraging U.S., Canadian, and Mexican maritime forces, with the intent of disrupting transnational criminal organization activity that occurs in the shared maritime environment. U.S. Coast Guard District 11 organizes annual iterations of OGF which strengthens the relationship between the major stakeholders under NAMSI. Historically, there have been two iterations of OGF a year, averaging 30 days each.
“The cutter Active’s crew was excited to conduct this mission alongside our partners given its importance for the safety and security of the shared maritime environment,” said Cmdr. Brian Tesson, commanding officer, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Active. “The partnerships between the U.S., Mexico and Canada strengthened our overall maritime security posture while reinforcing the mutual esprit de corps between our services.”
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 
Chuck, I see that the RCN removed the 40mm cannon from its minesweepers. This would probably be a good time to rearm them with the 25mm/MK2/3. Just a thought.
The Canadian Navy does use the 25mm Mk38 Mod2/3 as the only weapon on the much larger Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS). The Kingston class are nominally Coastal Defense Vessels. While they have done useful work in drug interdiction, they probably should be replaced with more capable craft. The oldest of the class is almost 27 years old and the youngest about 24 years old so their replacements should be being planned now. They were never very capable ships, but they did provide training opportunities.
It is possible some Canadians may see the AOPS as their replacements since they were never serious MCM vessels and AOPS do have the patrol function.
Still have seen no plans to decommission or replace them.
Report here of another small exercise with the Mexican Navy.
https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3357010/coast-guard-cutter-waesche-returns-home-following-counternarcotics-patrol-166m/
“…Waesche completed joint exercises with the Mexican Navy during the patrol. Waesche conducted formation operations with ARM Jalisco, a 280-foot Oaxaca-class offshore patrol vessel, executing maneuvers in close-quarters range to strengthen partner-nation relationships, interoperability, and operational proficiency between the sea services.”
this is the same class as ARM Hidalgo that participated in the exercise reported above.
News Release about Active’s patrol including this exercise and subsequent multiunit operation with WPC and Canadian vessel.
April 19, 2023
Coast Guard Cutter Active returns home following a 76-day counternarcotics patrol in the Eastern Pacific
PORT ANGELES, Wash. — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Active (WMEC 618) and crew returned to Port Angeles following a 76-day, 12,000-mile counternarcotics patrol in the equatorial Eastern Pacific Ocean.
In February, the cutter and crew departed Port Angeles to operate on behalf of Joint -Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-S), a multi-national and multi-agency task force designed to detect and deter transnational organized criminal activity operating in international waters off the coasts of North and Central America.
The Active’s crew operated in a region comprising more than 42 million square miles of ocean, extending from the U.S. maritime boundary line between California and Mexico and reached latitudes south of Costa Rica. The crew detected and successfully interdicted three illegal narcotics shipments during their patrol.
On March 1, the Active and crew located and intercepted a target of interest go-fast vessel off the coast of central Mexico, utilizing aerial and surface tactics. The vessel’s operators were detained by the Mexican Navy (SEMAR), who participated in the pursuit. The pursuit lasted more than 27 hours, resulting in Active’s crew recovering over 960 kilograms of cocaine worth an estimated $28 million.
In international waters off southern Costa Rica, on March 7, Active’s bridge crew detected a suspected vessel operating near the cutter. The crew quickly mobilized their resources and successfully intercepted a go-fast vessel operated by four individuals. Near the interdiction site, Active’s crew discovered more than 100 packages of illegal narcotics, worth an estimated $3.5 million.
On multiple occasions during the patrol, the Active and crew assisted the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche (WMSL 751) with operational and logistical support. This assistance allowed Waesche to continue its operations and mission objectives with minimal interruption, amplifying presence, and coverage in the region with multiple Coast Guard platforms on patrol.
In keeping with its namesake, Active’s crew demonstrated environmental stewardship, rescuing three sea turtles entangled in abandoned and adrift fishing tackle.
“I am extremely proud of how our crew performed throughout this patrol,” said Lt. Erick Jackson, Active’s operations officer. “No matter the time of day or type of mission, our teams worked together to achieve operational success.”
Toward the end of the patrol, the cutter and crew made a port call in Manzanillo, Mexico, and participated in the North American Maritime Security Initiative (NAMSI) exercises. NAMSI provides a tri-lateral forum among Canada, Mexico, and the United States to develop and refine maritime operations and synchronize training and operational interoperability amongst forces of the three nations. The three participating nations actively seek opportunities to cooperate and strengthen their cohesive approach to enhance regional maritime security in North America.
“Active’s crew truly seized on the opportunity presented by the NAMSI event to strengthen our skills while building interoperability with partner nations,” said Cmdr. Brian Tesson, Active’s commanding officer. “I cannot be more impressed by the performance, professionalism and resilience of the Active crew throughout the entirety of this patrol.”
Additionally, the Active and crew conducted eight days of joint operations with the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Benjamin Bottoms (WPC 1132) and HMCS Edmonton of the Royal Canadian Navy. The three vessels operated as a multi-national surface action group (SAG) to increase detection and interdiction capabilities. The joint operations allowed for extensive communication and coordination training for Active who functioned as the SAG commander. Highlights include Active conducting an astern refueling at sea of the Benjamin Bottoms, and a successful interdiction of a go-fast vessel operated by seven personnel over 200 miles off the coast of Mexico. Each asset in the SAG was critical to this successful multi-national effort which resulted in the seizure of an estimated $22 million worth of cocaine.
The Active is a 210-foot medium endurance cutter commissioned in 1965. The cutter routinely conducts fishery patrols, counternarcotics operations, law enforcement patrols and search and rescue activities. Active has also participated in several high-profile missions, including the clean-up efforts in response to the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989.