Today Rear Admiral Peter Hudson CBE assumed command of the European Union Naval Force Operation Atalanta, the EU anti-piracy-campaign in the Horn of Africa area. The hand over was conducted in the Operational Headquarters in Northwood near London.
Rear Admiral Peter Hudson took over command from Rear Admiral Philip Jones, who commanded the Operation since it began in December 2008. He also took over responsibility as Commander UK Maritime Force (COMUKMARFOR), the UK’s contingent 2 Star Maritime Component Command. Rear Admiral Jones will now take over a new post in the UK Ministry of Defence.
Rear Admiral Jones had the challenge of getting a very unique and difficult international operation running. The piracy threat is still alive and the operation is still facing many challenges, however after the first six months he can proudly look back on achieving tangible progress. “I believe we have taken counter-piracy a long way in a disproportionate period of time since December 2008”, Rear Admiral Jones said on his final day in Northwood.
Prior to his new task, as Commodore, Rear Admiral Hudson was Commander of the UK Amphibious Task Group (COMATG), during which he commanded a Maritime Coalition Task Force in the Gulf for five months and then led the Royal Navy TAURUS deployment to the Far East from his flagship HMS BULWARK.