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28 Dec 2023

US Allies Reluctant on Red Sea Task Force

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58) prepares to depart Rota, Spain, December 11, 2023. Laboon is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by the U.S. 6th Fleet to defend U.S., Allied and partner interests. (Photo: Alice Husted / U.S. Navy)

U.S. President Joe Biden hoped to present a firm international response to Yemen's Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping by launching a new maritime force, but a week after its launch many allies don't want to be associated with it, publicly, or at all.Two of America's European allies who were listed as contributors to Operation Prosperity Guardian - Italy and Spain - issued statements appearing to distance themselves from the maritime force.The Pentagon says the force is a defensive…

05 Jun 2023

UAE Stops Taking Part in US-led Gulf Maritime Coalition

© mrnai / Adobe Stock

The United Arab Emirates said on Wednesday it was no longer taking part in operations by a U.S.-led task force protecting Gulf shipping, which has been subjected to renewed tanker seizures by Iranian naval forces in recent weeks.The UAE was responding to a Wall Street Journal report on Tuesday which, citing U.S. and Gulf sources, said the Gulf state was frustrated by the lack of U.S. response to recent tanker seizures by Iran.This was a "mischaracterisation" of conversations between the two countries…

23 Mar 2023

US Transfers Three Patrol Ships to the Egyptian Navy

(Photo: U.S. Navy)

The United States has transferred three U.S. Navy patrol craft to the Egyptian Navy in an effort to help boost regional maritime security.During a formal ceremony in Alexandria, Egypt on March 21, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) turned over USS Hurricane (PC 3), USS Sirocco (PC 6), and USS Thunderbolt (PC 12), three former Cyclone-class patrol coastal ships built by Bollinger Shipyards in the early 1990s.“The Egypt-U.S. maritime partnership has been a fundamental pillar of our bilateral defense cooperation for decades,” said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of NAVCENT, U.S.

29 Dec 2022

The More ‘Eyes On The Water’, The Better

An Ocean Aero Triton unmanned surface vessel operates alongside U.S. Coast Guard fast response cutter USCGC Emlen Tunnell (WPC 1145) in the Arabian Gulf, November 29, during Digital Horizon 2022. (Credit: Brandon Murphy / U.S. Army)

Manama, Bahrain -- Advancing maritime domain awareness in the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) is a challenging task. Yet keeping the sea lanes open is critical for the region, for the U.S. and the world.U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), U.S. Fifth Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) are all headquartered here in Bahrain, under the command of Vice Admiral Brad Cooper. U.S. Fifth Fleet oversees the operations for all U.S. naval forces in the Middle East.

20 Aug 2021

Pirates Attack Cargo Ship off Somalia

(Photo: EU NAVFOR)

On Friday, August 13, EU NAVFOR ATALANTA Joint Operation Centre received an alert according to which the Turkish-flagged cargo vessel Anatolia (IMO 9005869) was under attack by a skiff with four or five armed persons on board.Reportedly, the skiff attempted to approach the vessel and opened fire with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades (RPG). One of these RPG caused damage in the vicinity of the bridge. After almost two hours of exchange of fire between the assailants and the privately contracted armed security personnel on board…

18 Feb 2021

UK Royal Navy Seizes $15,3M Worth of Drugs in Arabian Sea

HMS Montrose/Wikimedia Commons shared under OGL v1.0 license

Royal Marines from the UK Navy's HMS Montrose Frigate have seized  £11 million (USD 15,3 million) worth of illegal drugs in two raids of suspect vessels in the Arabian Sea, the UK Ministry of Defence and the Navy said in statements on Wednesday.The Royal Marines seized 2.4 tonnes worth of illegal drugs from a suspect boat in the Northern Arabian Sea, on a counter-narcotics patrol. This was the second drug bust by the HMS Montrose crew in two days.According to the statement by the UK government…

12 Nov 2020

French and Japanese Warships Aid Injured Mariner

(Photo: Combined Maritime Forces)

Two warships came to the aid of an injured seafarer on board the Indian-flagged merchant tanker Lourdes off the coast of Oman in the early hours on Monday.French frigate Jean Bart and Japanese destroyer Ariake were called to conduct the emergency operation, which saw medical personnel from both vessels assist an Indian patient who had a suspected head injury.At 0100Z (0400 local time), a Japanese medic provided immediate assistance on board MV Lourdes, before coordinating with…

19 Oct 2020

Video: US Warship Aids Iranian Mariners in Distress

(Photo: Louis Staats IV / U.S. Navy)

The U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) provided assistance to an Iranian-flagged dhow in distress in the Arabian Sea, October 15.While operating under Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), Churchill received signal from the motor vessel via flashing light that it was in distress. When hailed over bridge-to-bridge radio, the vessel’s crew explained that their engine would not start due to a dead battery and they had run out of food and water.The Churchill’s…

25 Jun 2019

Box Ship Rescues 6 in the Gulf of Aden

On June 20, 2019, Ocean Network Express (ONE) operated vessel, NYK EAGLE, was involved in a combined rescue operation involving Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centers. NYK EAGLE safely rescued 6 crew members from a sinking coastal vessel in the Eastern Gulf of Aden.NYK EAGLE was navigating the ocean when it received a request from CMF to assist a small sinking coastal vessel, as NYK EAGLE was closest to the affected vessel. A thorough and cautious rescue approach was carried out by NYK EAGLE on the small sinking coastal vessel, rescuing 6 crew members. 2 other crew members were airlifted by the Japan Navy helicopter and taken to the Japan Naval.

31 Dec 2018

Royal Austalian Navy Seizes Illegal Drug Shipments

Photo: © Commonwealth of Australia

Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Ballarat has seized more than 900 kilos of heroin worth approximately $279 million* during two boarding operations that took place 21–23 Dec 18 as part of Operation MANITOU.Ballarat conducted flag verification checks by boarding vessels of interest, under the direction of the Combined Maritime Forces’ (CMF) Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 in international waters in the Arabian Sea. The fishing vessels, known as dhows, were believed to be engaging in illegal activity.The boarding team discovered and seized illegal narcotics on both dhows.

09 Mar 2018

Tenth Successful Interdiction for HMAS Warramunga

Photo: Australian Government

HMAS Warramunga’s crew has seized record amounts of narcotics on Operation Manitou following their latest interdiction. In the latest haul, the crew of the Royal Australian Navy frigate seized approximately 132 kilograms of heroin valued at almost $40 million while patrolling international waters of the Arabian Sea on 6 March 2018. The illegal narcotics interdiction is Warramunga’s third seizure in the past seven days having also seized in excess of eight tonnes of hashish from two vessels just days earlier.

25 Jan 2018

New Marine Security Recommendations for Southern Red Sea

In response to the threats arising from the conflict in Yemen, BIMCO, ICS and INTERTANKO have published interim guidance on maritime security in the southern Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb. Shipowners and operators should be aware of new threat patterns in the area. The European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) and the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) have advised that a range of threats other than piracy, such as sea mines and water-borne improvised explosive devices (WBIEDs), are potential risks in the area. “We’ve been advised that these threats are real, and therefore decided to provide guidance for ships operating in the area. We have seen two incidents in January…

24 Jan 2018

Yemen Conflict Forces New Security Recommendations

In response to the threats arising from the conflict in Yemen, BIMCO, ICS and INTERTANKO have published interim guidance on maritime security in the southern Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb. Shipowners and operators should be aware of new threat patterns in the area. The European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) and the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) have advised that a range of threats other than piracy, such as sea mines and water-borne improvised explosive devices (WBIEDs), are potential risks in the area. “We’ve been advised that these threats are real, and therefore decided to provide guidance for ships operating in the area. We have seen two incidents in January…

15 Jun 2017

CTF 150 Makes Record Number of Drug Busts

In a four-month span, Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 of the Bahrain-based Combined Maritime Forces has proven itself a formidable force against narcotics trafficking, with 10 drug seizures totaling over 3,300 kilograms of heroin, cocaine, cannabis resin and hashish since March. It started with the Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Arunta (FFH 151) on March 2, when the crew seized 800 kilograms of hashish, a drug made from cannabis. Eleven days later on March 13, the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58) seized 270 kilograms of heroin and then again on March 17, when the crew seized 500 kilograms of hashish. All seizures were from small stateless dhows in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

05 May 2016

Arabian Shipping at Risk of Al Qaeda Attack

Al Qaeda's Yemen branch remains a powerful force and poses a growing risk to merchant ships in vital waterways nearby despite efforts by Yemeni government forces and their allies to push back the group, Reuters reports quoting a top officer in an international naval force. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) confirmed on Saturday it had withdrawn from the southern Yemeni port of‎ Mukalla - a week after Yemeni government and Emirati soldiers seized the‎ city that was used by the Islamist militants to amass a fortune. Captain William Nault, Chief of Staff with the multi-national Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), told Reuters ‎the gains by government forces were "heartening" and a "setback" for AQAP, but added the group still had capabilities due to the ongoing civil war.

06 Mar 2016

HMAS Darwin Seizes Huge Weapons Cache

HMAS Darwin’s boarding team has uncovered and seized a large weapons cache, following a boarding of a fishing vessel during their deployment to the Middle East Region as part of Operation MANITOU. Operating under Combined Task Force 150, responsible for counter-terrorism operations within the Middle East Region, Darwin intercepted the fishing vessel approximately 170 nautical miles (313 kilometres) off the coast of Oman to conduct a flag verification boarding. After assessing the vessel to be stateless, 1989 AK-47 assault rifles, 100 rocket propelled grenade launchers, 49 PKM general purpose machine guns, 39 PKM spare barrels and 20 60mm mortar tubes were seized from the vessel that was headed towards the Somalia coast.

12 Feb 2016

HMAS Melbourne Returns

Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Melbourne is returning home to Australia after completing more than 50 boarding operations and seizing almost a tonne of heroin during a Middle Eastern deployment. The guided missile frigate handed over maritime security responsibilities to sister ship, HMAS Darwin, after five months of operations in support of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and more than six months away from home. Commander Bill Waters, Commanding Officer of Melbourne, commended the ship’s company of 223 officers and sailors for their commitment and efforts that ensured a successful deployment. “During the five months on operations we confiscated and destroyed 977 kilograms of high grade heroin seized from five different vessels suspected of smuggling illegal narcotics,” he said.

04 Feb 2016

HMAS Melbourne Makes Fifth Drug Bust

The crew of HMAS Melbourne have completed a fifth drug seizure for Operation MANITOU after seizing about 65kg of heroin from a dhow in the Indian Ocean. The hidden drugs were discovered when Melbourne’s boarding party search of the suspect vessel during Melbourne’s last maritime security patrol with the multinational Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) before handing over to HMAS Darwin and returning to Australia. The heroin was seized and transported onboard HMAS Melbourne for further analysis before it was then disposed at sea. Specialised equipment onboard the Australian Guided Missile Frigate identified the drugs as mid-grade heroin valued at approximately $50M AUD (based on Australian Crime Commission figures and revised for purity).

16 Jun 2015

Oz, NZ ships Seize $700 mi in Narcotics

Maritime security operations by Australian and New Zealand frigates operating in the Middle East region during the past six weeks have seized almost a tonne of narcotics worth an estimated street value of $711 million. Royal Australian Navy Guided Missile Frigate, HMAS Newcastle netted 724kg of narcotics worth an estimated $597 million. During the same operation, New Zealand ship HMNZS Te Kaha seized 257kg of narcotics worth an estimated $214 million. Patrolling as part of the Combined Maritime Forces, Combined Task Force -150, HMAS Newcastle’s Commanding Officer, Commander Dominic MacNamara said narcotics seizures denied a key source of funding to terrorist organisations.

24 Jun 2015

HMAS Newcastle Seizes $1 bln in Narcotics

Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Newcastle patrolling with the Combined Maritime Forces in the Middle East region has seized another 581kg of illegal narcotics with an estimated street value of approximately $520 million. The half-tonne heroin haul is Newcastle’s fifth in two months and comes on the back of her recent 724kg narcotics seizure. Acting Commander of Australia’s Joint Task Force 633 Brigadier Nagy Sorial said the latest haul was the second largest in CMF history. Since February 2014, Australian ships assigned to JTF633 have seized more than 4 tonnes of heroin. “The weekend’s find made Australia’s maritime contribution to CMF one of the world’s most effective current heroin interdiction forces,” BRIG Sorial said.

08 Jul 2015

Australian Navy Drug Seizures Top $1.7 bln in 2 Years

HMAS Newcastle tracks a dhow on July 3, 2014 off the East Coast of Africa and from which it siezed 138 kg of heroin. (Photo: Brenton Freind)

In its sixth haul in eight weeks, Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Newcastle seized 139kg of heroin, with an estimated street value of around $41 million AUD ($30.5 million USD), off the East coast of Africa. Under the auspices of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), the latest haul brings the Australian Navy’s total seizures in the Middle East region over the last two years to an estimated street value of $2.3 billion AUD (approximately $1.7 billion USD). The Chief of Joint Operations…

07 Oct 2015

HMAS Melbourne Intercepts 427kg Heroin

HMAS Melbourne’s crew has seized 427 kilograms of heroin hidden in a fishing dhow carrying the illegal drugs across the Indian Ocean. The intercept occurred during Melbourne’s first patrol of her current Operation MANITOU deployment to the Middle East Region assigned to the multinational Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). Illegal narcotics are a common source of funding for terrorist organisations and HMAS Melbourne’s Commanding Officer, Commander Bill Waters, said the drugs had an estimated Australian street value of at least AUD$126 million. “In 2015, Australian ships have seized nearly two tonnes of heroin while deployed to Middle Eastern waters,” he said. “This latest intercept shows our continuing vigilance is essential in the fight against terrorism.

04 Dec 2015

HMAS Melbourne Seizes $44.5 mln Heroin

HMAS Melbourne recently seized 151 kilograms of heroin worth an estimated $AUD44.5 million from a dhow off the east coast of Africa. The drug haul is the second for HMAS Melbourne’s current deployment to the Middle East region, bringing the total weight of heroin seized to more 578 kilograms in two months. Commander Joint Operations Command, Vice Admiral David Johnston said the haul raised the Royal Australian Navy’s 2015 drug seizures in the Middle East region to almost $600 million. HMAS Melbourne’s Commanding Officer Commander Bill Waters said the ship’s crew boarded a suspicious fishing vessel following surveillance which suggested the dhow might be engaged in illegal activity.