A Royal Australian Navy captain will soon assume command of an international effort to protect shipping lanes in the Red Sea, but the Albanese government will not deploy any additional military resources for the mission.

On Friday, Australia will confirm it is assuming command of Combined Task Force 153 (CTF 153) for the first time, just weeks after Defence initially denied an ABC report foreshadowing the move.

From October, several Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel already stationed in the Middle East under the US-led Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) will be reassigned to the CTF 153, which is also based in Bahrain.

CTF 153 is one of five taskforces that make up CMF and is currently dedicated to protecting commercial vessels from Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea and around the Gulf of Aden.

Last year the Albanese government faced intense criticism for not responding to an international request from the US for warships to be deployed to protect maritime trading lanes in the Middle East.

At present, Australia maintains a contribution of up to 16 personnel to the CMF, which was bolstered in December last year in response to the escalating Houthi attacks on shipping and maritime traffic in the Red Sea.

During their six-month mission, ADF personnel will direct CTF 153 operations utilising warships and other military assets provided by various nations, which are currently commanded by Italy’s armed forces.

“Australia is proud to be taking command of a taskforce within the Combined Maritime Forces, particularly at a time of ongoing threats to international shipping in this region,” Defence Minister Richard Marles said in a statement provided to the ABC.

“This reinforces our 20-year membership of the multinational maritime partnership and underlines our commitment to upholding international rules and norms.

“Assuming leadership of CTF 153 demonstrates Australia’s ongoing support to deterring threats against international shipping in a key global waterway.”

The opposition, however, has accused the government of letting down Australia’s most important ally by not deploying a warship for the mission.

Non-deployment of warship in question

Shadow Defence Minister Andrew Hastie described Labor’s latest commitment as “shuffling people and desks around the theatre of operations”.

“This is consistent with what we’ve seen from the Albanese government thus far, when our democratic allies have asked for hard power support in the Red Sea this government has been entirely absent,” he said. 

Defence sources have questioned whether the Royal Australian Navy would currently be capable of deploying an adequately protected warship to the dangerous conflict zone, blaming successive governments for under-investment in naval power.

One Defence figure familiar with planning for the new mission claims actions that warships have taken so far in response to Houthi aggression have all taken place under “National Authority”, none of which CTF 153 can direct or command.

“In short, all CTF 153 does is collect names of ships doing other tasks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and reports those ships as being ‘assigned to CTF 153’,” the military insider told the ABC, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

“So, what is CTF 153’s value add? No ships, no ability to take meaningful action? And why would Australia now want to commit to command it?”

Last month when the ABC first revealed Australia’s plans to take command of CTF 153, the Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond questioned the need for a warship to be deployed to the Middle East.

“With a very, very small navy, and in some cases one that has to reinforce border protection responsibilities on occasion, we are best placed to provide high-quality personnel in headquarters’ functions which we have been doing for many, many years in the Red Sea.”