Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150) is a multinational coalition naval task force working under the 34-nation coalition of Combined Maritime Forces and is based in Bahrain established to monitor, board, inspect, and stop suspect shipping to pursue the "war on terror" and in the Horn of Africa region (HOA) includes operations in the North Arabia Sea to support operations in the Indian Ocean. These activities are referred to as Maritime Security Operations (MSO).

Countries presently contributing to CTF-150 include Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Pakistan, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States. Other nations who have participated include Italy, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Thailand and Turkey. The command of the task force rotates among the different participating navies and is currently led by the Pakistan Navy. The task force usually comprises 14 or 15 ships. CTF-150 is coordinated by the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a 33-nation coalition operating from the US Navy base in Manama, Bahrain.

In the last half of 1953 the designation Task Force 150 was given to a U.S. Navy force involved in Operation SUNEC - Support to North Eastern Command - resupplying of Arctic radar and weather stations. The main task was to resupply Thule, Greenland. Task Group 150.1 with its flag on USS Ashland (LSD-1) had six ships, including two Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs) and a tug; Task Group 150.3 with seven ships including two LSTs was the Pinetree Group, seemingly resupplying Pinetree Line radar stations; Task Group 150.4 was made up of four icebreakers; and Task Group 150.5 was the Cape Christian Group. (American Polar Operations, Data Sheet No. 26, p.4.)

After arrival in-theatre in late 1991, Vice Admiral Henry H. Mauz "retained the Middle East Force, designated CTG 150.1 [Commander Task Group 150.1], for most warfighting functions inside the Persian Gulf. Under this hat, Rear Admiral [William M. "Bill"] Fogarty would control only the half-dozen ships or so of the Middle East Force, augmented by the battleship Wisconsin when it arrived. Under a second hat, CTG 150.2, Fogarty would be the commander of the U.S. Maritime Interception Force. For this job, his authority would extend outside the Persian Gulf to ships operating in the North Arabian Sea and Red Sea, but only for interception operations." The CVBGs in the North Arabian Sea and Red Sea were designated Task Groups 150.4 and 150.5 respectively; the Amphibious and Landing Forces were CTG 150.6 and CTG 150.8 (Major General Jenkins). Rear Admiral Stephen S. Clarey was Commander U.S. Maritime Prepositioning Force, Commander Task Group 150.7 (CTG 150.7), with the equipment for the U.S. Marine Corps aboard. After the ships had disembarked the Marine equipment in Saudi Arabia, CTG 150.7 was disestablished on 12 September 1990.

From 1 January 1991, Commander Task Force 150 was Vice Admiral Henry H. Mauz, Jr. himself.

Before 11 September 2001, Task Force 150 was a U.S. Navy formation serving as part of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.

As interception operations intensified and the number of Coalition ships committed to OEF increased, NAVCENT formally established a multinational task force in February 2002. Focused solely on interdicting terrorists and their resources at sea, Combined Task Force (CTF) 150’s area of responsibility encompassed the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Horn of Africa, and Somalia Basin, as well as the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz. This expansive area covered more than 2.4 million square miles of coastline bordering 12 countries. Initially commanded by a U.S. naval officer, Rear Admiral Christopher C. Ames embarked in Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), CTF-150 operated subsequently under the command of Coalition flag officers. Coalition partners such as France, Germany, Canada, Australia, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Spain contributed leadership, ships, and aircraft to the task force.

CTF 150 was established as the HOA MIO Force on 3 February 2002.