The Background

* Inaugurated on 11 May, 1973, NATO’s Standing Naval Force Channel - STANAVFORCHAN - is a permanent multi-national naval squadron of mine counter measures vessels.

* Flying the NATO flag the squadroncarries out a programme ofc heduleds exercises, manoeuvres and port visits throughout the area.

* The Channel is one of the world’s busiest shipping areas and NATO member countries depend on continuous free access to its sea lanes for foreign trade and commerce.

* In the event of war or emergency, the Channel Command would be an important lifeline for the reinforcement of Western Europe. But its vulnerability to seamines stresses the vital importance of mine counter measures craft for the area.

BRUSSELS The Mission The Force

STANAVFORCHAN has 4 basic objectives: - * Ships drawn from NATO navies normally operating * To improve effective u mlti-national naval teamwork in the Channel are assigned to STANAVFORCHAN by providing continuous mine counter measures for six to twelve months on a rotational basis. experience and training.

* To demonstrate the unity and common purpose of the Alliance by showing the flags of member nations operating together in a single force. * STANAVFORCHAN is composed of between five and eight minesweeper and minehunter type ships, operating continuously as one unit.

* The Force Commander is selected from one of the contributing NATO navies for an 18 months’ tour of duty.

* Ship’s companies perfect techniques of operating together by constant practice between ships and by personnel exchanges within the Force. * To be capable of acting as an immediate reaction force in times of crisis or tension.

* To provide the elements for the formation of a more * Operational command of STANAV­ powerful NATO naval force in the area of Allied FORCHAN is exercised by the Allied Command Channel, if required. Commander-in-Chief Channel (CIN­ CHAN) from his headquarters at Northwood, near London. The NATO Commands

Showing the The strategic area covered by the North Atlantic Treaty NATO Flag is divided into three regional Commands - the Atlantic Ocean Command, the European Command and the Throughoute yearth Channel Command — plus a Regional Planning Group STAN AVFORCH AN for the North American Area. Within these areas the carries out a full NATO Commanders are responsible in peacetime for programme ofexercises the development of defence plans, the determination of and also visits many force requirements and for the training and exercise of Allied ports in the the forces under their Command. Channel Command area.

CINCHAN and the Channel Command

Under the Allied Commander-in-Chief Channel (CINCHAN) the Allied Command Channel covers the and the Southern areas of the . The area is subdivided into four subordinate Commands - the Nore, Plymouth, Benelux and Mari­ time Air Commands. CINCHAN’s mission is to control and protect merchant shipping in the area, co-operating with SACEUR in the air defence of the Channel. In emergency the forces earmarked to Channel Command are predominantly naval but include maritime air forces. The Ships of NATO: in defence of freedom STANAVFORCHAN

Set up in 1949 to safeguard security through joint defence, NAT O has successfully preserved peace in Europe for nearly 30 years. But the future preservation of peace depends on the continuing credibility of the 15-nation Alliance as an instrument for defence and deterrence. Over the last decade the massive build-up of Soviet military power - far exceeding legitimate defensive

Two types of ships are in the Force - minesweepers and minehunters. Both use different techniques to counter the mine menace. Minesweepers deal with buoyant mines by cutting their moorings and destroying them by gunfire. Sunken mines are provoked to self-destruction by simulating the magnetic and acoustic influence fields of big ships. Minehunters approach the task in a different fashion. By searching ahead with their sonars they can detect minelike objects for positive identification and destruc­ tion with explosive charges. Both minesweepers and minehunters have an average requirements - faces NATO with a greatly increased complement of 4 Officers, 6 senior ratings and 24 junior threat on all fronts. At sea the relentless growth of the ratings. Soviet Navy has provided the USSR with a new and flexible world-wide maritime capability. More than ever it is vital that NATO maintains its military strength and political solidarity, indispensable elements for the defence of freedom in the Western World.