“Fighting Pirates and other Tales from the High Seas:
Canadian Naval Operations Today”

Rear Admiral Bob Davidson, Former Commander
Combined Task Force 150

Supported by:
The Royal Canadian Military Institute

Summary by:
Sumon Mukherjee

November 27, 2008

Rear Admiral Bob Davidson gave an informative and wide ranging talk on his experience as Commander of Combined Task Force 150. Between June and September of 2008, Rear Admiral Davidson commanded 32 ships from seven different states, conducting maritime security operations in the Persian Gulf, the northern Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, the Gulf of Aden, and parts of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea.

Rear Admiral Davidson outlined the importance of this mission for Canada. As a maritime nation, he argued that Canada demonstrates its leadership and ability to launch forward deployments through its involvement in the task force.

Rear Admiral Davidson also discussed the issue of piracy, and his encounters with it. He discussed some of the causes of Somali piracy, such as the lack of a functioning state apparatus in Somalia, as well as claims of over fishing in Somali territorial waters, which led fishermen to become pirates. He provided many examples of how the Task Force was able to save civilian lives from piracy, and their various engagements with these pirates.

View the event flyer: Flyer