Pakistan Navy has taken over the command of the Combined Task Force 151 (Combined Task Force One Five One) from the Turkish Navy for a period of six months. Ceremony for the transfer of the command was held at the HMS Cornwall in UAE.
Combined Task Force 151 is an international task force which was established by the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) at the start of last year conduct and oversee the anti piracy and anti terror operations in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin. Maritime Security Patrol Area (MSPA) assigned to the Combined Task Force 151 by the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) is in the Gulf of Aden, Horn of Africa and Somali Basin which means that CTF 151 has to petrol and area of about 2 million sq kilometers of sea.
Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) have naval ship, helicopters and maritime petrol aircrafts at its disposal from over 20 participating nations to make sure that all the trading through its area of responsibility goes smoothly without the interference from the pirates and terrorists.
Australia, Republic of Korea, Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, the U.K. and U.S are the part this task force. Pakistan navy has already been an active member of the Combined Task Force 150 which oversee the similar operation in the Persian Gulf and had commanded the Combined Task Force 150 four times in the past.
Before command take over by the Pakistan Navy, Combined Task Force One Five One has been headed by the USN, the Republic of Korea Navy and the Turkish Navy. On the other hand, Combined Task Force 150 has been commanded by French Navy, Royal Netherlands Navy, UK, Pakistan, Canada and Australia.
Pakistan Navy was the first regional navy to which is playing a part in coalition operations through Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) since 2004 in North Arabian Sea. Until now six destroyers from Pakistan Navy has been sent to the Maritime Security Patrol Area (MSPA) in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin which is assigned to the Combined Task Force One Five One.
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