MANAMA, Bahrain – Kuwait-led Combined Task Force (CTF) 152 of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) concluded Focused Operation SAIF, May 30.

Ships and personnel from the Royal Bahraini Naval Force, Kuwait Naval Force, Kuwait Coast Guard, Royal Saudi Naval Force and Royal Saudi Border Guard participated in and supported the operation to deter illicit activity, reassure mariners, and improve maritime domain awareness using SeaVision across the northern and central Arabian Gulf.

Operation SAIF proved CTF 152’s capability to coordinate forces from different Gulf Nations and demonstrated the organization’s commitment to maintaining maritime security in the Arabian Gulf.

In the central Arabian Gulf, three units from Saudi and Bahraini forces jointly patrolled, deterring illicit activity and reassuring mariners through their presence. In the northern Arabian Gulf, a ship from Kuwait Naval Force continued to improve and implement the use of SeaVision, a powerful tool to collect and display vessel movements and data, with the goal to use this system across all CMF operations. Developing this capability is a priority for CTF 152, who have been working closely with JMIC and industry partners to integrate this new capability.

The Kuwait Naval Force vessel also conducted an approach and assist, speaking directly with mariners in a civilian vessel to reassure them of CMF presence as a force for good at sea.

CTF 152 is one of five task forces under Combined Maritime Forces, the world’s largest international naval partnership. CTF 152’s mission is to counter smuggling activities, disrupt activities that support terrorism using the maritime commons and to support legal fishing in the Arabian Gulf.

Combined Maritime Forces is a 46-nation naval partnership upholding the international rules-based order by promoting security and stability across 3.2 million square miles of water encompassing some of the world’s most important shipping lanes.