Photo By Sgt. Hans Williams | 250819-A-OI911-1013 MANAMA, BAHRAIN (Aug. 19, 2025) Vice Adm. George Wikoff, commander...... read more read more
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After a pause in operations to focus on strategic planning and preparation, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) resumed its activities across the Middle East, Aug. 18.
“As we return to full operations, we celebrate the resilience and agility that continue to define our mission,” said Deputy Commander CMF, Commodore Ben Aldous, Royal Navy.
CMF’s nations returned to Bahrain, ready to propel the multi-national partnership into focused operations in the coming months, including a focus on key maritime security areas of interest, including the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Gulf.
“We look forward to welcoming new nations into CMF, expanding our maritime expertise and contributing to security, stability and prosperity in the region,” said Aldous. “Our continuous commitment to safeguarding maritime security and enhancing interoperability is defined by the strength of our multinational partnerships. We are hugely grateful to everyone who has supported CMF over the past few months.”
CMF’s five Combined Task Forces (CTFs) are back to operations, with some pivotal changes. This week, Maritime Security Combined Task Force (CTF 150) changed command to Gulf Cooperation Council nation Saudi Arabia, who will contribute their expertise of the local area. Also, for the first time, Maritime Security Training Combined Task Force (CTF 154) has assumed new leadership from Italy in a ceremony held on Monday. Gulf of Aden and Somali basin-focused CTF 151 will see Brazil return later this month, with Kuwait and Egypt retaining command of Arabian Gulf-focused CTF 152 and Red Sea-focused CTF 153, respectively.
Additionally, outside of CTFs, CMF celebrates exciting updates, such as welcoming new members, further expanding the coalition’s global reach. CMF continues its endeavours to remain ready and agile to respond to non-state facing threats through technological advances and has introduced the integration of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) simultaneously in the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf to enhance surveillance capabilities. The latter part of this year will also see another iteration of Operation Compass Rose, which provides vital maritime security training to unify practices among the member nations and further Saildrone operations.
Finally, CMF’s partnerships are part of its success, providing crucial insight to maritime operations. The Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC) is a coordinated function that provides accurate, open-source information to stakeholders, reinforcing transparency and trust in CMF. As well as CMF’s long-standing partnerships with EUNAVFOR through Operations Aspides and Atalanta, CMF continues to forge stronger partnerships. Through closer collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), CMF broadens its understanding of maritime interdiction operations, leading to reduction in the illegal trade of narcotics. Cohered with Regional Coordination and Operations Centre (RCOC) Seychelles, CMF is able to expand its reach into the Indian Ocean.
Combined Maritime Forces is a 47-nation naval partnership with headquarters in Bahrain, promoting security, stability, and prosperity across approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters, which encompass some of the world’s most important shipping lanes. The 47 nations that comprise CMF are not bound by either a fixed political or military mandate.
| Date Taken: | 08.20.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.20.2025 09:55 |
| Story ID: | 546019 |
| Location: | MANAMA, BH |
| Web Views: | 50 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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