TCG Gemlik Returned Home
30 Dec 2015 1 Comment
TCG Gemlik acted as the flagship of the Combined Task Force 151 between August and December 2015. She is seen here during the 18 March naval parade in March 2015.
The frigate TCG Gemlik returned to her home port Aksaz Naval Base in Marmaris on 29 December 2015. She was deployed to the Gulf of Aden since August 2015.
During her deployment to the region she acted as the flagship of the Combined Task Force 151. And the Rear Admiral Ayhan Bay was the commander of the task force.
The Combined Task Force 151 is created to disrupt piracy and armed robbery at off the coast of Somalia and to engage with regional and other partners to build capacity and improve relevant capabilities in order to protect global maritime commerce and secure freedom of navigation.
Vice Admiral Kevin Donegan, Commander Combined Maritime Forces, presided over the handover ceremony and noting the achievements of CTF 151, said: “Rear Admiral Bay, your accomplishments are numerous and impressive. The hard work of the ships and sailors under your Command has made it possible to keep the waters of the Gulf of Aden safer than they have been in decades. There have been no attacks in your tenure, maintaining a proud record of forward-leaning prevention that benefits everyone in the region.”
This was the fourth time Turkey led the multinational maritime task force. during her 5 month-long deployment TCG Gemlik, sailed 21.600 nautical miles and spend 2.350 hours on high seas.
turkishnavy.net 
Happy, prosperous, and healthy new year. Thank you for a great year of fantastic photos and information. Thank you Turkey, for the invaluable, and much underrated help to NATO, Europe and the rest of the world, in the fight against terrorism, piracy, and drugs, for another year, from a mad Ulsterman (Northern Irish) living in France. I hope your site goes from strength to strength, and Turkey’s problems, being in the middle of two culture clashes decreases, and both the western world, and Islamic world recognise it’s importance to detente between the two. Sorry Russia, but behave yourself, and give Turkey it’s place!