On 27 August 2015 command of Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151) passed from the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force under the command of Rear Admiral Hiroshi Ito to Captain Ayhan Bay of the Turkish Navy, who was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral on 30 August.
The handover marked the completion of Japan’s first time in command of a multi-national task force since the Second World War, as part of Japan’s contribution to international security.
Rear Admiral Ito will return to Japan to continue his role as Commander, Escort Flotilla 4 Japan Maritime Self Defense Force.
Vice Admiral John Miller, Commander Combined Maritime Forces, presided over the handover.
This is the fourth time that Turkey has led CTF 151 and in his speech Captain Bay noted that Turkey has always supported the multi-national force and its mission. Also mentioning that Turkey’s commitment to international peace and support operations follows the principle of ‘Peace at home, peace in the world’ declared by the founder of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
He concluded his speech by saying:
Although there has been a drastic decrease in the number of attacks and hijackings by pirates since 2012, I am mindful of the fact that we cannot become complacent and must keep up the operational tempo against piracy. The units under my command will continue its counter-piracy mission with the same enthusiasm as previous commands in order to safeguard the freedom of navigation in the region.
Image: CMF