Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 Commander, Rear Adm. Tanin Likitawong, Royal Thai Navy, visited HMS Westminster, May 3.
Capt. Nick Hine, commanding officer, HMS Westminster, welcomed Rear Adm. Likitawong aboard to discuss the vessel’s contribution to the counter-piracy mission.
The visit familiarized Rear Adm. Likitawong with Westminster’s boarding team’s effectiveness and capabilities in support of counter-piracy operations, the primary mission of CTF 151.
Rear Adm. Likitawong observed the boarding team training and was able to speak with some of the embarked Royal Marines about their experiences.
The Royal Marines Boarding Team (RMBT) is comprised of an Officer Commanding Royal Marines (OCRM), a sergeant as the team commander and five marines. Team members undergo rigorous commando training in addition to boarding specific training prior to deployment.
CTF 151 is one of three taskforces under control of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), based in Bahrain. CTF 151 was established in 2009 to deter, disrupt and suppress piracy, protect maritime vessels of any nationality and secure freedom of navigation for the benefit of all. CTF 151’s area of operation encompasses 1.1 million square miles in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin.
Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) 