Royal Navy hands over Gulf maritime command

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The Royal Navy has handed over command of Combined Task Force 158 (CTF 158) to the United States Navy after more than four months in the driving seat of operations in the Gulf and Iraqi Territorial Waters.


HMS Chatham patrols the exclusion zone around the Al Basrah Iraqi oil terminal as a tanker is manoeuvred into position
[Picture: LA (Phot) Chris Winter]

Ensuring the continued protection of Iraqi's vital offshore oil infrastructure and the integrity of Iraq's territorial waters, the command of CTF 158 is shared between the United States, Australia and United Kingdom on a four to six month rotation, operating at the request of the Iraqi Government under a United Nations mandate.

Reflecting on the Royal Navy's contribution in recent months Commodore Duncan Potts, outgoing Commander of Task Force 158, was encouraged by what he had seen:

"In terms of sustaining the operation I think it has gone well, however more notable are the areas where we have been able to advance. One example is the relationships between Iraq and her neighbours, and notably for us Kuwait; we've been able to get those two parties, with a fairly toxic recent history, to start talking to each other.

"We've hosted meetings between their Heads of Navy, we've had meetings on the Khawr al Amaya oil terminal deep in Iraqi waters, which the Kuwaitis came to, and I think we have now established a level of dialogue and de-confliction and co-operation in the Khaw abd Allah channel [along which the border between the two countries lies] which we haven't hitherto seen.

"I would also cite the progress that has been made in transition to the Iraqis in terms of repatriating their territorial waters. We have been able to transition point defence of the Khaw al Amaya oil terminal [Iraqi Marines now fully man the gun emplacements] and we have also been able to transition to the Iraqi Marines the boarding and security sweeps of oil tankers coming up to the terminals.

"Furthermore, there has been a marked improvement in the Iraq's ability to join our operations as 'sector pickets' - Iraqi Navy patrol boats now routinely enforce the maritime exclusion zone around the Khawr al Amaya oil platform.

"Perhaps of greatest importance, however, is that we have been able to help redefine the future for the Iraqi Navy and Marines and map out the path to full transition. I believe this is all very achievable with the equipment that they plan to bring into service."

Maritime Security Operations contribute to the security of maritime trade throughout the Gulf; the consequent regional stability facilitates Iraqi economic development. CTF 158 also provides training and assistance to the Iraqi Navy and Marines who are progressively taking on these operations.

For Cdre Potts, it is the nature of the co-operatio amongst the coalition partners along with the Iraqis and other regional players that is the key driver to success:

"It is a Coalition effort, but without a doubt the Royal Navy is a major player in Iraqi Territorial Waters. We've had the frigates HMS Campbeltown and HMS Chatham, which have been very much the back-stop to the local command and control and force protection; both units have done extremely well.

"Notable also is the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Cardigan Bay, which is an immense asset up here, not only to act as a base to support Iraqi training, and now operations, but also as a base for the Maritime Expeditionary Security Force boats and critically as a logistics hub for people, movement of goods, and a platform for logistics helicopters.

"However, I will not detract from the rest of the Coalition, in particular the US Navy and Coast Guard and the constant and vigilant work that is done by their patrol boats.

HMS Chatham patrols the exclusion zone around the Al Basrah Iraqi oil terminal as a tanker is manoeuvred into position
[Picture: LA (Phot) Chris Winter]

"This is a complex maritime environment but I don't think I have been surprised by that, I have operated in this region before and we studied the area hard before coming out here. We prepared for the task and, may-be it sounds a bit arrogant, but I think what we have seen was pretty much what we expected. We have certainly applied the lessons learned from our predecessors but complacency is something that cannot be allowed to set-in up here.

"I think we can look back on this period as a period of accomplishment. Day-in day-out, what I call our baseline operations, have continued, providing security and stability within Iraqi Territorial Waters. To me the metric of that success is simple: the oil has flowed every day uninterrupted, access has been gained to the main ports of Iraq uninterrupted, and I think that from the posture that we have been able to achieve with the ships up here, the level of criminality within the area have been kept to a minimum."

Revenue from the oil piped via the Khawr al Amaya and Al Basra oil terminals located approximately 10 miles offshore represents 90% of Iraq's GDP. The port of Umm Qasr, located up the Khawr abd Allah waterway, is crucial to trade in Iraq. The port's future development has benefited greatly from the recent clearance of historic mine danger areas in its approaches by the Coalition, and the provision of port security by Iraqi Marines.

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