Combined Maritime Forces Commanders meet in Bahrain

Commanders from three Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) Combined Task Forces (CTFs) met this month to discuss maritime security.

Commander CTF 151 (CCTF 151) Rear Admiral (Radm) Ken Cheong of the Republic of Singapore Navy met with CCTF 150 Commodore Guy Robinson of the Royal Navy, and CCTF 152, Colonel Nayef Alaskar, of the Kuwait Naval Force.

The meeting was held to allow the respective commanders a better understanding of each other’s operations so they can better integrate their work.

CMF was created post 9/11 to help counter the threat from terrorism but the mission has expanded to include counter-piracy operations. Commanded from its headquarters in Bahrain, CMF operates three CTFs across 3.2 million square miles of ocean.

CTF 150 is primarily focused on disrupting terrorist organisations and their unlawful activities by restricting freedom of manoeuvre in the maritime domain. CTF 151 concentrates on the disruption of piracy and armed robbery in the maritime environment and CTF 152 co-ordinates Maritime Security Operations in the region.

The meeting also allowed the commanders to discuss their challenges and areas of further cooperation. Radm Cheong said: “I am glad to be able to forge a close, personal friendship with the other CCTFs so that we can work even more effectively in support of the overall CMF mission.”