The Royal Jordanian Navy has handed over command of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) Combined Task Force 152 (CTF152) to the Royal Saudi Naval Force after conducting a change of command ceremony on 14th September 2017.

Captain Abdullah Albader assumed command of CTF152 from Colonel Abdelkader Almarahleh at a ceremony at the Naval Support Activity in Bahrain. The ceremony was presided over by Vice Admiral Kevin Donegan, Commander US Naval Forces Central Command, Commander US Fifth Fleet and Commander Combined Maritime Forces.

CTF152 operates in the Arabian Gulf where it coordinates Theatre Security Cooperation (TSC) activities with regional partners, conducts Maritime Security Operations (MSO), and remains prepared to respond to any crisis that may develop. This was the first time Jordan have commanded CTF152.

On handing over command, Colonel Almarahleh said: “Working as a component part of Combined Maritime Forces has been an enormous privilege.

“I would like to take this opportunity, to thank my staff for their hard work, and to remind that any progress is due to the quality of the officers, on my staff, and the support we receive from all our partners, whether it be on land, air or sea.”

Amongst a number of Colonel Almarahleh’s achievements during his 12-month tenure as CTF152 commander, he led four highly-successful focused operations to enhance and sustain maritime security in the region and additionally led three major multinational exercises and numerous smaller exercises enhancing interoperability and fostering continued coordination and cooperation among partner nations, in particular those in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

In what will be his final CTF Change of Command as Commander CMF, Vice Admiral Donegan said: “Colonel Almarahleh’s dedication to Task Force 152 and to building a team to support maritime security has been an example for us all. It also embodies a simple tenet, that relationships matter.”

On assuming command, Captain Albader said: “It is a great privilege to stand before you today and it is a great honor to have been chosen to Command Task force 152.”

In attendance at the ceremony was His Excellency Rami Saleh Aladwan, Jordanian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, His Excellency Abdullah bin Abdulmalik Al Sheikh, Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Jordanian Embassy Second Consul to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Motasem Ahmad Mubaidin, Chief of Staff of Operations for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, Rear Admiral Gasham Al Qahtani, Commander, Eastern Fleet for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, Rear Admiral Fahad Al Ghofaily, Jordanian Military Attaché, Commodore Awad Tarawneh, Saudi Military Attaché, Brigadier General Mohammaed Al Tamimi, Saudi CMF Senior Naval Representative, Commodore Almimony Abdullah, Security Advisor for the Jordanian Embassy to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Colonel Mahmoud Al-Kutishat, and Jordanian Advisor to Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior, Major General (Retired) Abdelrazeq Abdallah Qasem.