CTF-151 Stood Up to Take on the Horn of Africa Piracy Mission

The U.S. Navy has announced that a new structure, Combined Task Force 151 or CTF-151, will be stood up as of January 8 to take on the antipiracy mission around the Horn of Africa. It will be commanded by RAdm. Terence "Terry" McKnight.

The various naval forces from various nations which are currently deployed around the region are structured (by the USN) as the 'CMF' or 'Combined Maritime Forces.' It appears that the primary reason for the specific CTF-151 is that there are some vessels contributing to the CMF, whose missions include anti-drug and anti-smuggling, who cannot (as per their orders) take part in anti-piracy operations. The separation of the two task sets into different CTFs (CTF-150 for other ops in the region, CTF-151 for anti-piracy, if I'm reading this properly) will allow nations with mission restrictions to contribute assets specifically to the task sets their political restrictions allow.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like CTF-151 is being given any expanded mission goals or ROE, just a commander and separate structure. However, if such an expansion is in the cards, this is a necessary precondition. So to summarize: we're reorganizing on paper. But that reorganization would make it easier to solicit participation in expanded missions.

Image is RAdm. McKnight in front of what I thought to be a particularly apt presentation. Image from navy.mil.