April 1st, 2019 – Ottawa – National Defence/Canadian Armed Forces

Canada has significantly increased its contribution to Operation ARTEMIS, the Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) ongoing contribution to counter-terrorism and maritime security operations in Middle Eastern and East African waters.

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Regina, Naval Replenishment Unit (NRU) Asterix, and a CP-140 Aurora aircraft have joined the Canadian-led Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150). CTF 150 is a task force under Combined Maritime Forces, a naval coalition of 33 nations, that promotes security and stability in Middle Eastern and East African waters.

HMCS Regina, along with its embarked CH-148 Cyclone helicopter, and NRU Asterix will work in concert with several other coalition ships to patrol the waters of the Arabian Gulf and off the east coast of Africa, and the CP-140 Aurora will be used to conduct maritime surveillance. All of these efforts are in support of CTF 150’s mandate to enforce maritime security and the free-flow of international trade and commerce in some of the world’s busiest and most challenging waterways.