GULF OF ADEN (Feb. 11, 2009) Visit, board, search and seizure team members (VBSS) in a rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) from the guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) close in to apprehend suspected pirates. Vella Gulf is the flagship for Combined Task Force 151, a multi-national task force conducting counterpiracy operations to detect and deter piracy in and around the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Gulf, Indian Ocean and Red Sea. It was established to create a maritime lawful order and develop security in the maritime environment.