Another Dane! This time at the head of CTF-151
(BRUSSELS2) CTF 151, the maritime coalition against piracy supported by the Americans, will be commanded by a Dane. Eh yes ! Danes are everywhere these days :-). Commodore Aage Buur Jensen thus took over, on January 12, from Rear Admiral Kaleem Shaukat of the Pakistani Navy.
On board a US ship
Commodore Jensen will however not have a national ship to ensure his command; he will be based aboard the US ship USS Halsey which assumes the role of flagship. When he took office, he made no secret of his determination to act against piracy "100%". " My intention is to deter and disrupt pirate attack groups as soon as possible and at all times and a (more) flexible approach to command and coordination »
Delicate relations between US and Pakistani marines
This succession comes as relations between the American and Pakistani governments have entered a delicate phase. American Vice-Admiral Mark Fox, Commander of the US Fifth Fleet, therefore takes great care to salute “the remarkable level of commitment of the Pakistani Navy”. While the Pakistani rear admiral underlined " l'(Pakistan's) commitment to the safety and security of the high seas and the promise to honor our international commitments, despite all obstacles”. Relations within the Gulf region are essential, he said, in the fight against piracy. " Besides the naval campaign at sea, we remained engaged with regional countries ashore to encourage their participation and contribution to the campaign against piracy, as well as building their capacity to deal with piracy.”
A route provided
Aged 56 (born in 1955), Aage Buur Jensen joined the Navy when he was 20 years old. After the naval academy, he was incorporated into the submarine unit until 1988. In 1989, he attended the British school of Manadon (Royal Naval Engineering College) and became commander of the special forces in 1990. In 1995, he became adviser to the Minister of Defence, Hans Hækkerup (Social Democrat) in the government of Poul Nyrup Rasmussen (not to be confused with the current Secretary General of NATO). In 1997, he joined NATO in the Joint Plans & Policy Division at Alliance HQ in Stavanger, Norway. Commander of the Trion, an ocean patrol boat (between 2000 and 2001), he returned to his first classes as commander of the submarine squadron. In 2004, he moved to the General Staff: first as Deputy Head of "Operations and Resources" at the Navy, then at Defense HQ as Head of Operations and then Concept and Development. He is now commander of the Danish Task Group.
The Kingdom of Denmark is indeed on all fronts these months. He holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union. It is the former Danish Prime Minister (AF Rasmussen) who is at the head of NATO. A Danish diplomat leads the "legal issues" working group of the international contact group on piracy. And it was a Dane who was appointed head of the NATO military committee. In addition to the CTF-151, the Danish Navy is very active in the anti-piracy operation with the Absalon which often provides an offensive presence. Not bad for a "small" country of 5 million inhabitants! Without forgetting the military commitment in Afghanistan, 750 soldiers served there in the disputed province of Helmand alongside the Americans and the British. And they have always been at the forefront, taking significant risks. In ten years of engagement, the Danes have thus lost 42 of their men. Which is the highest "score" of coalition casualties (more than the Spaniards or Poles).
Read also: A Dane will chair NATO's military committee from 2012
(Maj) With the chairmanship of the Danish Military Committee
