Combined Task Force 151

Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151) is a multinational naval task force, set up in 2009 as a response to piracy attacks in the Gulf of Aden and off the eastern coast of Somalia. Its mission is to disrupt piracy and armed robbery at sea and to engage with regional and other partners to build capacity and improve relevant capabilities in order to protect global maritime commerce and secure freedom of navigation. It operates in conjunction with the EU's Operation Atalanta and NATO's Operation Ocean Shield.

As of September 2013^[update], the task force consists of six ships from Australia, Pakistan, South Korea, Turkey, the UK, and the USA under the command of Commodore Jeremy Blunden RN based on RFA Fort Victoria. Pirate attacks in the area have declined from "over 170" in 2010 to "a handful" in 2013.

The CTF 151 was established on 12 January 2009 as a response to piracy attacks in Somalia, "with a specific piracy mission-based mandate under the authority of UNSCRs 1816, 1838, 1846, 1851 and 1897". The CTF 150 mainly dealt with maritime security and counter terrorism. Piracy was considered more of a law enforcement mission. They were established as a mission-based Task Force. Upon their establishment in 2009, they operated under a UNSCR counter-piracy mandate. They are not geographically constrained. Their mandate has been "based upon the range of counter-piracy UNSCRs". In February 2011, a group of pirates hijacked a Panamanian-flagged ship. The Puntland government stated that they did not want captured ships and pirate bases near Bosaso. The pirates forced the ship's crew to the south, to a coastal area that was not as receptive. Admiral Mcknight had a conversation with Jatin Dua and the Navy SEALS rescued two hostages who were being held in an inland camp. The SEALS killed about nine pirates. In January 2012, six Somali pirates launched an attack on the bulk cargo ship the MV Sunshine about one hundred miles off the coast of Oman. This was referred to as a by-the-book approach. They used AK-47s, a rocket propelled grenade launcher, used a grappling hook and attempted to affix a ladder onto the boat. The pirates threw their weapons overboard so the boarding team could not arrest them. They gave the pirates food and water, finally turning them loose. The Somalis did not realize that a helicopter from the USS Mobile Bay was keeping track of their movements. They headed back to the Iranian dhow. The USS Kidd was able to track the Al Mulahi and noticed some Middle Easterners were aboard. The New York Times reported a standoff, afterwards the Somalis were still hidden and the Iranian captain spoke with the Americans.

...
Wikipedia