MANAMA, Bahrain (Oct. 20, 2026) – Combined Maritime Forces’ counter-piracy task force Combined Task Force (CTF)151 concluded Operation Tidal Wave in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, Oct. 20.
The six-day operation brought together 15 organizations from 10 nations and included coalition warships, maritime patrol aircraft and regional coastguards.
“Operation Tidal Wave is named for what we set out to do: to raise the level of counter-piracy effort like a rising wave, and to do it together,” said Republic of Korea Capt. Yoon Hyun-woo, commander of Combined Task Force 151. “A pirate action group watching the Gulf of Aden…sees one force, with regional partners alongside it, close to their own coast.”
Participating units patrolled areas where pirate activity is most likely at this time of year, maintained a presence by day and night and broadcast counter-piracy warnings to merchant shipping.
Forces also conducted counter-piracy training, including live-fire serials, unmanned aerial system operations and tactical manoeuvring. The training improved readiness, tactical proficiency and interoperability between forces who do not routinely operate together.
Hyun-woo said the operation marked several firsts for CTF 151’s partnerships with nations on the southern edge of its operating area.
“Six days of concentrated effort is not the whole answer to piracy, but it moves things forward,” said Hyun-woo. “An Indian warship joined one of our focused operations for the first time. The Kenya Navy widened the waters it patrols. Seychelles aircraft and ships worked together further east than before. These are not announcements — they are ways of working that will remain after we disperse. The operation ends today, but what we built during it does not.”
Additionally, regional coastguards patrolled their coastal waters, engaged with local mariners and covered inshore approaches beyond the reach of coalition units. Offshore, maritime patrol aircraft and warships conducted coordinated patrols, combining wide-area surveillance with surface units able to respond. Ships from different navies also manoeuvred together, taking station and changing course on a common signal.
Tidal Wave was designed as a model for future activity, rather than as a standalone event. CTF 151 intends this approach to set the standard for combined maritime security in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.
CTF 151 will review the operation with its partners and continue counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, Somali Basin and wider Indian Ocean. Merchant vessels transiting the region are encouraged to remain vigilant, report to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, follow best management practices and report suspicious activity immediately.
CMF, headquartered in Bahrain with U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. 5th Fleet, is the largest multinational naval partnership in the world, with 47 nations committed to upholding the international rules-based order at sea. It promotes security, stability and prosperity across approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters, encompassing some of the world’s most important shipping lanes.
