Combined Task Force 150

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Ships assigned to Combined Task Force One Five Zero (CTF-150) assemble in a formation in the Gulf of Oman, May 06, 2004
Ships assigned to Combined Task Force One Five Zero (CTF-150) assemble in a formation in the Gulf of Oman, May 06, 2004

Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150) is a multinational coalition naval task force with logistics facilities at Djibouti. It is coordinated with, and incorporates vessels of, the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, under the Combined Forces Maritime Component Commander/Commander US Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain.

The multinational task force was established to monitor, inspect, board, and stop suspect shipping to pursue the War on Terrorism and includes operations in the North Arabia Sea to support Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and operations in the Indian Ocean to support Operation Enduring Freedom - Horn of Africa (OEF-HOA). These activities are referred to as Maritime Security Operations (MSO).

Countries presently contributing to CTF-150 include Canada, France, Germany, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Other nations who have participated include Australia, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey. The command of the task force rotates among the different participating navies, with commands usually lasting between four to six months. The task force usually comprises 14 or 15 vessels.[1]

Contents

[edit] 2002 - 2005

On December 20, 2002, a meeting was held aboard the USS Mount Whitney with military leaders from Djibouti regarding the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa. At the time, CTF-150 was commanded by Spanish Rear Admiral Juan Moreno, and comprised vessels from France, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom and United States.[2]

In January 2003, the task force held a Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) exercise [3] involving the following vessels:

Ships of the multinational fleet Combined Task Force-150
Ships of the multinational fleet Combined Task Force-150

On June 8, 2005, CTF-150, under the command of Royal Navy Commodore Tony Rix, successfully conducted the boarding of the vessel Safari in international waters, leading to the seizure of 2.3 tons of hashish. The French D'Estienne d'Orves-class frigate Commandant Birot (F796) performed the boarding. The captured crew were transferred to the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS O'Kane (DDG 77).[4]

On August 17, 2005, French Vice Admiral Jacques Mazars replaced British Royal Navy Commodore Tony Rix as commander of CTF-150. At the time, it comprised vessels of France, Germany, Pakistan, Canada, the United Kingdom and United States.[5]

[edit] 2006 - 2007: Operations off Somalia

[edit] Anti-piracy operations

See also: Piracy in Somalia

On 22 January 2006 USS Winston S. Churchill captured a suspected pirate vessel in the Indian Ocean as part of an ongoing effort to help maintain law and order in the region.[6]

On April 4, 2006, the South Korean fishing vessel MV Dong Won (628) reported it had come under rocket attack off the coast of Somalia. Immediately two ships from the task force, the Dutch vessel HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën (F802) and the US guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG-80) responded. However, the pirates had already hijacked the vessel and reached Somali territorial waters after threatening the captured crew members.[7]

Pakistani Naval ship (PNS) Shahjahan
Pakistani Naval ship (PNS) Shahjahan

On April 24, 2006, Pakistani Rear Admiral Shahid Iqbal took command of CTF-150 from Dutch Commodore Hank Ort on a ceremony aboard the HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën.[1] The Pakistani ship PNS Shahjahan served in the task force during this time. On August 22, Rear Adm. Iqbal was relieved by German Rear Admiral Heinrich Lange.[8]

In March 2007, the Dutch frigate Hr.Ms. Evertsen deployed to the waters of the Horn of Africa, as part of CTF-150, and in response to a request from the United Nations World Food Programme, against piracy off the Somalian coast. [9]

[edit] Interdiction

Main articles: Somali Civil War, War in Somalia (2006–present), and Battle of Ras Kamboni

Throughout 2006, the Somali Civil War continued to escalate. During this time, the task force conducted normal operations in the Indian Ocean. By early 2007 it became actively involved in providing a maritime cordon to prevent the escape of members of Al Qaeda suspected of being embedded within the ranks of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU).

Open warfare broke out between Ethiopian and Transitional Federal Government (TFG) forces on December 20, 2006, but until January 2, 2007 there had been no request by the Ethiopian or Somali military for CTF-150 to take action.[10] On that day, the aim of the patrols shifted to "...stop SICC leaders or foreign militant supporters escaping" [11]

On January 4, 2008 ships of the task force began performing Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) missions, boarding fishing boats (dhows) and oil tankers passing near the Somali coast.[12] US ships of Combined Task Force 150 include the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Ramage and the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Bunker Hill.[13] Commodore Bruce Williams of the Royal Navy led the task force at this time.[14]

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Pakistani Admiral Takes Command of Regional Maritime Task Force", United States Navy, 2006-04-24. Retrieved on 2007-01-11. 
  2. ^ "Horn of Africa Group Meets with Regional Leaders", Armed Forces Press Service, 2002-12-30. Retrieved on 2007-01-11. 
  3. ^ "Forces Combine to Train at Sea", Armed Forces Press Service, 2003-01-06. Retrieved on 2007-01-11. 
  4. ^ "Coalition Warships Intercept Drug Smugglers", 2005-06-08. Retrieved on 2007-01-11. 
  5. ^ "French Take Helm of Combined Task Force 150", 2005-08-24. Retrieved on 2007-01-11. 
  6. ^ Headquarters, United States Central Command (2006-01-22). "Suspected Pirates Captured Off Somali Coast". Press release. Retrieved on 2006-12-15.
  7. ^ "Coalition Naval Assets Challenge Hijackers On South Korean Motor Vessel", 2006-04-04. Retrieved on 2007-01-11. 
  8. ^ "Pakistan Navy Completes Term as Commander, Task Force 150", United States Navy, 2006-08-26. Retrieved on 2007-01-11. 
  9. ^ "Fregat gaat hulpgoederen Somalië beschermen", Netherlands Ministry of Defence. Retrieved on 2007-03-07. 
  10. ^ "No request yet from Somali leaders for help in interdicting militants, 5th Fleet says", Stars & Stripes. Retrieved on 2007-01-11. 
  11. ^ "Ethiopian troops to stay in Somalia weeks", Reuters, January 2, 2007. 
  12. ^ "U.S. ships hunt for al Qaeda off Somalia", London Daily Telegraph. Retrieved on 2007-01-11. 
  13. ^ "Ramage, Bunker Hill keeping an eye on Somalia", MarineTimes.com, 2007-01-04. Retrieved on 2007-01-04. 
  14. ^ "Combined Task Force 150 Maintains Presence Off East Coast of Africa", United States Navy, 2007-01-05. Retrieved on 2007-01-11. 
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