CMF hosts maritime security conference in Bahrain
By Combined Maritime Forces
Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) hosted senior military leaders from 38 nations during a four-day maritime security conference in Bahrain, Oct. 3-6.
Leaders from 40 navies and coast guards attended the annual maritime security conference, hosted by the world’s largest naval partnership, to discuss future partnership opportunities and initiatives.
The conference served as an opportunity to review initiatives achieved over the last 12 months and coordinate plans to enhance regional maritime security and partnerships in the future.
CMF / FMC
“Gathering this number of senior officers together from different nations really demonstrates the international cooperation that lies at the heart of CMF,” said United Kingdom Royal Navy Cmdr. Martin Heaney, lead planner for the conference. “Real progress has been made. Our multi-national headquarters team have worked really hard on this.”
CMF includes four combined task forces that focus on counter-narcotics, counter-smuggling, suppressing piracy, encouraging regional cooperation and working with other partners to strengthen maritime capabilities.
The multinational partnership is headquartered in Bahrain and consists of 34 member-nations whose forces operate in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Northern Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean. CMF’s member-nations are united in upholding international rules-based order to protect the free flow of commerce, ensure regional maritime security and deter illicit activity by non-state actors.
Canada typically contributes to CMF through participation in the multinational counter-terrorism naval task group known as Combined Task Force (CTF) 150. Canada has had four rotations in command of this task group, most recently under Commodore Dan Charlebois from January to July of 2021, with HMCS Calgary and a CP-140 Aurora aircraft also supporting the mission.
