 Standing Naval Force Channel (STANAVFORCHAN), activated on May 11, 1973 as an active mine countermeasure squadron directly under the command of CINCHAN.The squadron was tasked with the protection of the English Channel and the Southern North Sea.STANAVFORCHAN consisted of seven to nine mine countermeasure vessels from the Royal Navy, German Navy, Royal Netherlands Navy and Belgian Naval Force, which were assigned to the squadron for either six or twelve months.