The US Fifth Fleet, headquartered in Bahrain, launched Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151) on Thursday to counter rising piracy in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. Rear Admiral Terence McKnight will command the unit, which was expected to reach full operational status by mid-January.
At its formation, only American vessels were assigned to CTF-151, including three ships led by USS San Antonio and two aircraft, though additional nations were expected to join shortly. The force will coordinate with the European Union's Atalanta mission, which deployed six ships to the same waters in December.
The announcement followed a surge in attacks: Somali pirates struck more than 100 vessels in 2008, collecting an estimated $120 million in ransom. US Vice Admiral Bill Gortney noted that piracy ultimately demands a broader land-based solution, calling CTF-151 a meaningful but partial step.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in January 2009, in its own words.