Officials said CTF-151 has been coordinating with other task forces in
the region. They included those from the European Union, NATO as well as
CTF-465 and -508.
Ertugrul replaced South Korean Navy Rear Adm. Beom-rim Lee. Officials
said during his six month tour, Lee increased coordination with Gulf
Cooperation Council states, including Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab
Emirates, as well as air operations.
"Illegal activities such as piracy and armed robbery are not only a
threat to global maritime commerce, but also have disruptive effects on the
freedom of navigation, which is directly linked to maritime security,"
Ertugrul said.
Turkey has contributed its TCG Gokceada to CTF-151, established in
January 2009 to protect the Gulf and Arabian Sea from pirates. The 25-nation
task force included Britain, Jordan, Pakistan and the United States.
"It is important for us to share the latest strategic operations and
tactical knowledge and I believe that we have worked seamlessly together
toward our mutual goals," Lee said.
This marked the second time Turkey has taken command of CTF-151. Turkish
Navy Rear Adm. Caner Bener commanded CTF-151 from May through August 2009.