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France's defense attaché in Spain visits the Center of Excellence against Improvised Explosive Devices
Hoyo de Manzanares, Madrid
December 21, 2023
- Captain (Navy) Pierre Alzuyeta was able to learn on the ground how the Center works and the work carried out by the French personnel assigned to it
Visit of the French Defence Attaché in Spain, Captain Pierre Alzuyeta, accompanied by the French liaison officer in the Defence Staff and a representation of French reservist officers resident in Spain, to the Centre of Excellence against Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED COE). He was received by its director, Colonel Javier Corbacho Margallo, and by the Centre's Command Group.
During the visit, Captain Alzuyeta received a presentation from the colonel-director on the activities carried out and its position as a NATO reference centre in the fight against C-IEDs, and then visited its facilities. He was also able to learn first-hand about the work carried out by the French personnel stationed at the Centre.
France is part of the initial core of eight NATO nations that, on 24 June 2010, signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of the C-IED COE in Hoyo de Manzanares and its functional relationship with the Supreme Allied Command Transformation (SACT). Since then, France has had an officer permanently stationed at the Centre whose functions fall within the Command Group, Operations Section.
IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
The Centre of Excellence against Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED CoE) is one of the 29 NATO Accredited Centres of Excellence, and is located in Hoyo de Manzanares, Madrid. It has an international staff made up of military personnel of twelve nationalities, including members of the Armed Forces who serve both in the international expert staff and in its support and administration element.
Its mission is to provide expert support to NATO, NATO partners and the International Community in countering the IED System in order to enhance the security of deployed troops by reducing or eliminating the IED threat, especially from terrorist and insurgent networks and any emerging threats resulting from rapidly changing global scenarios.
The C-IED CoE was offered by Spain to NATO as part of its network of Centres of Excellence and first accredited by the Alliance in November 2010. In April 2023, it underwent a new accreditation process, with a result that was "extremely satisfactory" to the Alliance's interests.
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