COMBINED Maritime Forces (CMF) were again at the center of the largest gathering of military commanders at the Maritime Security Conference, Manama, Bahrain.
CMF is an enduring global maritime partnership of willing nations aligned in common purpose to conduct Maritime Security Operations in order to provide security and stability in the maritime environment. The continued success of CMF relies upon the willingness of Nations to contribute. The nations in CMF work together to create a stabilising effect throughout the region. The strength of CMF is its diversity, bringing varied expertise, assets and experience to further improve maritime security in the region.
Vice Admiral Jim Malloy USN, Commander CMF, opened the Maritime Security Conference, by welcoming the delegates to the CMF headquarters in Manama, Bahrain. Vice Admiral Malloy said: “Our goal for this conference is to convene leaders of Navies from the region and across the globe, share our thoughts and perspectives on threats, risks and opportunities we see moving forward – as we strive for a more secure maritime environment which promotes all types of legitimate commerce across the Middle East.” “CMF is the ideal construct for this inclusive and mutually beneficial collaboration – operationalizing that vision at sea, now and into the future.”
This annual conference has brought together the majority of CMF’s 33 contributing nations to share valuable knowledge and experience in order to maximise the organisation’s maritime effectiveness.
The current successes of CMF’s maritime security task force CTF150 were praised by all. CTF150 have recently found and destroyed over 28,000 Kgs of narcotics, worth over $36m. The Task Force is led by Commodore Garnier of the Royal Canadian Navy, who leads a mixed staff of Canadian and Australian personnel. Undoubtedly, these seizures have severely hindered the funding of terrorist organisations, which profit from this illegal activity.
CTF 151 is the counter-piracy task force of CMF. It is currently led by Captain Alajmi, Kuwait Naval Forces, from their headquarters located within the US Naval Command base in Bahrain. Having just taken command from their Kuwaiti Navy colleagues, they are actively patrolling the high risk areas off the Horn of Africa, alongside a number of partner organisation.
Captain Ali Alsabah, Kuwait Coast Guard, currently commands CTF 152 and represents CMF’s Task Force maintaining maritime security across the Arabian Gulf. This is the second time in succession that the Kuwait Coast Guard have led this particular Task Force.
Over 100 delegates from across the CMF member nations attended the conference, bringing a wide range of knowledge and experience. Through a series of focused working groups, the participants discussed the relationship with CMF and confirmed their shared commitment to maritime security across the region.
CMF is founded on the willingness of nations to participate in a shared aim, and conference events such as the MSC not only strengthens the bond between the 33 nations, but spreads the word of the good work being achieved to other nations who may benefit from future membership.
Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) 