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NATO

Other Staffs and Commands Responsible to SACEUR

Last modified: 2023-06-03 by zachary harden
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[Flag of NATO] by Željko Heimer


See also:


Overview

NATO military commands and some other organization also have flags. Almost all commands have their own flags (or banners), which have a great importance in all military units, and they have a special role during ceremonies held in occasions of changes of commanders. It is a subject of hand-over ceremony when former commander gives the flag into new commander's hand. It is a formal moment of transfer of his authority to new one.
All commands and other organizations has a badge or crest, generally it is placed on a monocoloured (blue, white, or green) flag as a command's flag. The official NATO military structure is a good base to introduce flags of various military commands, organizations and NATO-led military missions. More information on NATO structure: http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/structure.htm
Zoltan Horvath, 11 February 2010


Reaction Forces (Air) Staff - RF(A)S - Kalkar

Information of its flag has not been available yet.
Zoltan Horvath, 11 February 2010


NATO Airborne Early Warning Force (NAEWF)

Information of its flag has not been available yet.
Zoltan Horvath, 11 February 2010


Immediate Reaction Forces

Information of its flag has not been available yet.
Zoltan Horvath, 11 February 2010


ACE Mobile Force - AMF - Heidelberg

Information of its flag has not been available yet.
Zoltan Horvath, 11 February 2010


Naval Striking and Support Forces - STRIKFORNATO - Naples

[Rapid Deployable Turkish Corps - Istanbul] by Zoltan Horvath, 20 February 2010

Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO - STRIKFORNATO is a maritime formations, its headquarters is located in Naples. This command originally was established in 1953 as a Principle Subordinate Command under CINCSOUTH.
The Commander was also the Commander of the U.S. SIXTH FLEET, a dual assignment that continues to this day. This force is subordinated directly to SACEUR.
Its flag is blue with its badge in the center.
Image of flag:
http://www.afsouth.nato.int/organization/STRIKFORNATO/Images/2009/005.jpg
Symbolism of badge:
http://www.afsouth.nato.int/organization/Strikfornato/Badge.htm
Zoltan Horvath, 20 February 2010


Standing Naval Force Atlantic - STANAVFORLANT

[Ensign of the Stanavforlant] by Željko Heimer

In proportion 3:5, the NATO flag is used as the ensign of the Stanavforlant (Standing Naval Force in the Atlantic) or Stanavforchan (Standing Naval Force in the Channel) vessels.
Ivan Sache, 8 January 2001
Source: Pavillons nationaux et marques distinctives

Flags of the Stanavforlant or Stanavforchan vessels (dimensions 3:5) are same as the organization flag, but for the ratio. I believe that this flag is not used as an ensign (i.e., at stern, to indicate ship's nationality) - the ships retain their national ensigns, and fly this flag somewhere else (mainmast port side?).
Željko Heimer
, 2 December 2003

Photos I've seen show the NATO flag flying at the starboard yardarm, but this may vary according to national practice and other flags that have to be flown.
Joe McMillan, 2 December 2003

There are four NATO organizations called "Immediate Reaction Forces (Maritime)." Three come under Allied Command Europe and one under Allied Command Transformation, formerly known as Allied Command Atlantic.
Under Allied Command Europe:
- Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (STANAVFORMED), known before 1992 as Naval On-Call Force Mediterranean (NAVOCFORMED). A force of about 8 destroyers and frigates reporting to Allied Forces Southern Europe (AFSOUTH).
- Mine Countermeasures Force South (MCMFORSOUTH), formerly MCM Force Mediterranean. Minehunters and minesweepers, also under AFSOUTH.
- Mine Countermeasures Force North (MCMFORNORTH), formerly STANAVFORCHAN. Similar to MCMFORSOUTH, but subordinated to Allied Forces Northern Europe. STANAVFORCHAN was never the commander of an entire region; as I understand it it was always pretty much a mine warfare force. There was once an allied CINCCHAN, but it disappeared quite a while back and its very small geographic domain was divided among the other two, much larger commands.
Under Allied Command Transformation:
- Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT), created 1968, made up of 6-10 destroyers, frigates, and a support ship or two.
So MCMFORNORTH is the successor of STANAVFORCHAN, but MCMFORSOUTH is not the successor of STANAVFORLANT.
Joe McMillan, 2 December 2003


Commander pennant of STANAVFORLANT (Dutch usage)

[Stanavforlant commander's ensign] by Gerard van der Vaart, 4 October 2001

The Netherlands navy uses a similar flag but with two shades of blue. According to NL navy regulations (VVKM 19 bijlage O, p.65) this is the commander ensign of STANAVFORLANT or STANAVFORCHAN. Two sizes, both 2:3.
Gerard van der Vaart, 4 October 2001

A slightly different flag prescribed for the purpose in the Dutch naval regulations, having the field of lighter blue shade (but the "voided" parts of the compass points still dark blue), otherwise very much like the design in the Album des Pavillons (2000) (regarding the shape of the emblem), but the ratio being 2:3.
Željko Heimer, 2 December 2003


Standing Naval Forces Mediterranean - STANAVFORMED

Information of its flag has not been available yet.
Zoltan Horvath, 11 February 2010


Standing Naval Forces Channel - STANAVFORCHAN

STANAVFORCHAN commander's pennant

[Stanavforchan commander's ensign] 3:5 by Željko Heimer

In proportion 3:5, but in trapezoidal, swallow-tailed shape, and with the lines around the compass removed, it is the ensign used by the Stanavforchan commander.
Ivan Sache, 8 January 2001
Source: Pavillons nationaux et marques distinctives

The COMSTANAVFORCHAN has been changed into COMMCMFORNORTH (Commander Mine Counter Measure Forces Northern Europe). The same pennant is also flown by COMMCMFORSOUTH (Southern Europe). The flag is not trapezoidal anymore but rectangular, still with swallowtail.
Roel Vandenvonder, 7 June 2002

A dark blue broad pennant (i.e., swallow tailed triangular pennant) with the white emblem next to the hoist (without the outlaying lines). The emblem here is slightly different, regarding the with of the ring and fact that it touches the compass points. Album des Pavillons (2000) does not give any hint that there may be a similar pennant for Stanavforlant, so maybe there was none.
Željko Heimer, 2 December 2003