Singapore deploys third counter-piracy task force in Gulf of Aden

SINGAPORE, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Singapore Armed Forces has deployed its third task force in the Gulf of Aden in support of international counter-piracy efforts there, the Ministry of Defense said on Monday.

The 229-strong task force will operate as part of the multinational Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 during its three-month deployment. It comprises a navy landing ship tank RSS Endeavor with two helicopters on board.

"During the deployment, the task group will conduct area surveillance and patrols in order to contribute to CTF 151's situation awareness. The task group will also be ready to respond to calls for assistance from ships encountering pirate attacks," said Chief of Navy Rear-Admiral Ng Chee Peng.

The deployment will also provide the Singapore armed forces with an opportunity to gain operational experiences, he added.

Singapore armed forces has deployed two task groups since April 2009. It was in command of the Combined Task Force 151 from January to April 2010, and from March to June this year, respectively.