One-star tapped for new piracy task force

[unhappycamper]

One-star tapped for new piracy task force
By Andrew Scutro - [e-mail]
Posted : Thursday Jan 8, 2009 20:27:24 EST

NORFOLK, Va. — An anti-piracy task force, with a one-star admiral at the helm, has been created to combat the growing problem of seaborne crime off the Horn of Africa, the Navy announced Thursday.

Rear Adm. Terry McKnight will lead Combined Task Force 151, which is expected to be “fully operational” in days. Under it, U.S. and coalition warships will pursue specific anti-piracy missions. The specific nature of those missions — including what new measures naval forces could be taking — was unclear as of Thursday morning.

Allied naval forces have patrolled the waters of the Middle East under several combined force units assigned to specific regions, such as CTF-150, which is responsible for maritime security, countering weapon and drug trafficking in a vast area outside the Persian Gulf. But pirate attacks have grown in the same area in the past months despite broader United Nations authorization to pursue suspected hijackers at sea and ashore.

CTF-151 will handle the counterpiracy mission in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Red Sea and Indian Ocean. Under the new structure, McKnight would be able to grab ships from CTF-150 and other units in the 5th Fleet area and give them specific anti-piracy missions under his command.

“Some navies in our coalition did not have the authority to conduct counterpiracy missions,” said Vice Adm. Bill Gortney, commander of 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces, in the Thursday announcement. “The establishment of CTF-151 will allow those nations to operate under the auspices of CTF-150, while allowing other nations to join CTF-151 to support our goal of deterring, disrupting and eventually bringing to justice the maritime criminals involved in piracy events.”


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/01/navy_antipiracy_010809w/%2e