Why is it in the News?

The Indian Navy successfully intercepted and apprehended a dhow in the Western Arabian Sea recently and seized 940 kilograms of contraband narcotics.

About the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF):

• The Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) is a Bahrain-based multinational naval partnership dedicated to fostering security, stability, and prosperity throughout vital international waterways.
• Comprised of five task forces, CMF's primary objectives include countering terrorism, preventing piracy, enhancing regional cooperation, and maintaining a safe maritime environment.
• CMF's efforts focus on eliminating violent extremism and terrorist networks in its operational areas, collaborating with regional and global partners to bolster security and stability, assisting in capacity-building for regional maritime capabilities, and responding to environmental and humanitarian crises when needed.
• The five task forces within CMF are:
  • CTF 150: Gulf of Oman Security and Counter-Terrorism
  • CTF 151: Counter-piracy operations
  • CTF 152: Arabian Gulf Security and Cooperation
  • CTF 153: Red Sea and Gulf of Aden security and cooperation
  • CTF 154: Maritime security training
• CMF comprises a diverse group of nations, each voluntarily contributing to the organization's efforts to maintain security and stability in international waters.
• Participating nations include:
  • Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Türkiye, UAE, United Kingdom, United States, and Yemen.
• Members have the flexibility to contribute in various ways, from providing liaison officers at CMF's headquarters in Bahrain to supplying warships, support vessels, and maritime reconnaissance aircraft.
  • CMF can also request support from warships not explicitly assigned to the organization.
• The headquarters of CMF is co-located with the US Naval Central Command and US Navy Fifth Fleet at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain.
• CMF is commanded by a US Navy Vice Admiral, with a UK Royal Navy Commodore serving as the Deputy Commander. Senior staff roles at CMF's headquarters are filled by personnel from member nations, ensuring a diverse and collaborative environment.
• Together, these task forces enable CMF to effectively address a wide range of challenges and promote a more secure maritime domain for all nations.