Mexico’s September 16 Military Parade Will Incorporate Tactical Drones and Nationally Made Armored Vehicles

ByCésar Arellano García

This article by César Arellano García originally appeared in the September 14, 2026 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left-wing daily newspaper.

Mexico City. The September 16, 2026 Civic-Military Parade will incorporate notable technological innovations of Mexico’s Armed Forces, such as the debut of 45 tactical drones and nationally made armored vehicles. In addition, for the first time 99 aircraft will fly in a massive formation (93 from the Mexican Air Force and 6 from the National Guard). But not only that: there will be an exhibition of armored vehicles, among them the Huracán, Cimarrón, and Titán units, designed and built by Mexican military engineers, and the deployment of tactical and command vehicles with armored protection.

A tactical drone with a Mexican flag and a row of armored military vehicles
The parade will feature Mexican-made drones and armored vehicles. Photo: Roberto García Ortiz / La Jornada

The Undersecretary of National Defense, Enrique Martínez López, led the General Review of the Civic-Military Parade column for next Wednesday, marking the 216th anniversary of Mexico’s Independence, in which 15,458 members of the Mexican Army, Mexican Air Force, and National Guard took part.

Likewise, in the general rehearsal held today at the Joint Strategic Military Camp No. 1-A in Naucalpan, State of Mexico, 224 soldiers of the National Military Service marched, along with 100 charros, 29 civilians, 38 children, 15 parachutists (five women and 10 men), as well as 18 retired women parachutists.

President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and General Ricardo Trevilla Trejo will lead this commemorative event for the second time, in which the hundreds of families in attendance will witness the passage of the contingents, the deployment of ground vehicles, mounted formations, and the impressive flyover of military aircraft.

Vehicles With Remote-Operated Firearms

Lieutenant Colonel Noé Gómez Gutiérrez noted that among the innovations are the technological capabilities of the Remote Firearm Operation System (SARAF) Balam I and II, produced by the Military Industry and adapted to armored vehicles.

“The DN11 armored tactical vehicles have high mobility and elevated armored protection. They are equipped with systems for the remote operation of firearms (SARAF) Balam; the development is 100 percent national and shows the capacity of the Mexican military industry to bring developments to the highest level of technological maturity, that is, from conception and observing the needs of our users and troops.”

He said that the weapons systems are a combination of mechatronic technology integration and software integration, making it possible for the weapon’s operator to be protected by the armor inside the vehicle and to fire quickly and safely.

“Weapons systems such as the (SARAF) Balam I can be equipped with 5.56 and 7.62 millimeter caliber machine guns. The Balam II can fire 12.7 millimeter caliber and with 40 millimeter grenade launchers. These weapons systems are currently supplied to army units for Special Forces personnel. It is a strength of the Mexican State and a strength of the Defense.”

He added that the importance of the innovation and technological development of the military industry in this type of vehicle lies in the following:

It is autonomy and a full capacity for self-determination. We set the specifications based on the needs of the troops. We have autonomy and self-sufficiency for manufacturing and to provide maintenance at all levels.

Technological Development at the Service of the Armed Forces

Separately, Surgeon Colonel Nonantzin T. Leyva, director of the Regional Specialties Hospital of Mazatlán, highlighted that the Mexican Army has carried out research and technological development and military innovation to cover the needs the Armed Forces require to fulfill their missions.

“We have many devices, among them radars, drone-operation and anti-drone simulators, as well as equipment that can deactivate frequencies. The military industry has taken part in the design and manufacture of military vehicles, such as the DN11, which has a system that can be piloted remotely with the SARAF Balam I and II armament, and of course we have a lot of technological innovation on this matter of deactivating explosives.”

She explained that those attending the parade will see these new features. “For the first time, we will have the mass aerial flyover of 99 aircraft; this had never been seen in the history of a parade. These aircraft perform multiple functions in the exercise of our operations, among them training, surveillance, and combat, all with the same purpose of protecting the sovereignty of our country, safeguarding our airspace. You will also be able to see a themed float of our canine heroes, like those that took part in helping our brothers in Venezuela in the past earthquakes; with them, two dogs from that country will march, Sol and Sara, who come to train at our military police centers, along with a dog they gave us named Latka.”

She added that the trained canine rescue teams and the contingents of charros and escaramuzas will close the event.