>The USS Boxer joins anti-piracy Task Force 151 off the northern coast of Somalia, and takes over as flagship of the task force.
This beefs up the strike capabilities of Combined Task Force 151, and may signal a shift in operations. Unlike the ship it replaces (the USS San Antonio), USS Boxer has shown up with a full crew, which includes a reinforced battalion of marines.
The USS Boxer is a Wasp class amphibious assault ship, an LHD type vessel, displacing 41,000 tons. Unlike the San Antonio, the Boxer arrived with its normal load of a reinforced battalion of marines and aircraft (several dozen helicopters, a I am assuming drones). The ship also has landing craft and a beach master unit (for managing cargo and troop movements across a beach.) There are 1,800 marines and 1,100 sailors on the Boxer.
The Boxer has been in service for 14 years, and has spent a lot of time in the Persian Gulf. The only reason for adding the Boxer to CTF 151 is to either conduct amphibious operations, or to shake up the pirates by threatening to do so. Since it is common knowledge the pirates are operating from shore, this may signal and change in how the pirates will be dealt with. There has been significant intelligence work done to determine which families and gangs are involved. Should the US Navy and CTF151 choose to eliminate the shore facilities of the pirates (along with most of the pirates) the rest of the world is likely to approve.
Combined Task Force 151 is a multi-national task force and was formed at the beginning of 2009 solely to deal with the piracy problem. Navy Vice Admiral William E. Gortney, who commands U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, the U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces, said "the problem of piracy is and continues to be a problem that begins ashore and is an international problem that requires an international solution."
US Navy Rear Adm. Terence E. McKnight is commander of CTF151.
Back in December 2008 the United Nations Security Council authorized foreign forces to pursue pirates inside Somalia. This was a US sponsored resolution that was unanimously approved by the 15 member body, to use "all necessary measures" to stop anyone using Somali land or sea to plan or carry out piracy.
Capt. Mark Cedrun, is the Boxer’s commanding officer.
Boxer’s embarked units include the Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 5, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21 Detachment 3, Naval Beach Group (NBG) 1, Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 5, ACU 1, Beach Master Unit (BMU) 1, Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 5 and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).
The 13th MEU is comprised of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 163 (Reinforced), Combat Logistics Battalion 13 and Battalion Landing Team 1/1.
"If you are going to do kinetic strikes into the pirate camps, the positive ID and the collateral damage cannot be overestimated. It's very difficult," Gortney told reporters back in December. "They are irregulars; they don't wear uniforms."
Every nation is fed up with the problem, and will probably be supportive of US forces if and when the strike comes. By bringing in the USS Boxer and it's full combat compliment, that time may be very soon.