AQABA, Jordan –
U.S. 5th Fleet’s task force for rapidly integrating unmanned systems and artificial intelligence into maritime operations welcomed a new commander during a change of command ceremony in Aqaba, Jordan, March 15.
Capt. Colin Corridan relieved Capt. Michael Brasseur as the commander of Task Force 59 during a pierside ceremony attended by members of U.S. 5th Fleet and the Royal Jordanian Navy.
Brasseur assumed command of Task Force 59 in September 2021, when the new task force was established. Over the last 18 months, the staff has achieved full operational capability, amassing more than 30,000 operating hours with advanced unmanned surface vessels and completing nearly 20 bilateral and multilateral exercises.
Additionally, under Brasseur’s leadership, Task Force 59 has overseen unmanned systems operations on every side of the Arabian Peninsula as well as in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
“It’s been the joy of my professional life to design and build Task Force 59 with my incredibly talented team of innovators, leaders and doers,” said Brasseur. “Never before have I seen so few do so much, so fast. It’s been a true honor to serve.”
Corridan assumes command of a 30-member staff after previously serving as commanding officer of USS Cincinnati (LCS 20). The Task Force 59 team includes representatives from seven countries, demonstrating U.S. 5th Fleet’s expanded engagement with regional partners through new technology integration.
“It is an honor to be named as the commodore of such a historic task force,” said Corridan. “It is an inspiring mission, and I look forward to seeing all we will do together and with our partners as one team.”
Task Force 59 is currently spearheading an effort to form a multinational fleet of 100 unmanned surface vessels based in the Middle East by end of the summer. U.S. 5th Fleet announced in February the task force and regional partners have approached the halfway point toward that goal.
The U.S. 5th Fleet operating area includes 21 countries, the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandeb and Suez Canal.
