The C-IED Center of Excellence participates in the 'Valiant Blaster' exercise in support to the training plan of the 'Tercio de Armada'

• The C-IED CoE has supported the exercise with the participation of experts from the 'Defeat the Device' area

The Improvised Explosive Devices Center of Excellence has participated in the Valiant Blaster exercise, which takes place in the Cadiz area on a yearly basis.

Organized by the 'Tercio de Armada' (TEAR) as part of its annual training program, the exercise is aimed at maintaining and improving the EOD capabilities required in the fight against improvised explosive devices ('Contra -IED').

The exercise included EOD units from Navy, Army, Air and Space Forces, from Allied countries' Armed Forces, as well as from State Security Forces. Its main objective was to boost, strengthen and increase interoperability among the various EOD units, as well as to share TTPs and best practices, with special emphasis on Artifact Defeat within the three pillars of the C-IED fight.

The C-IED CoE, as a reference center in the field, supported the exercise with the participation of experts in the “Defeat the Device” area. It also provided the participants with an update conference on the different emerging threats in the diverse theaters of operations in which the Spanish Armed Forces and Allied Armed Forces are currently carrying out their missions.

Through the preparation of realistic scenarios, thanks to data collected in operational areas, activities have been carried out where participants have faced a wide variety of IEDs (commanded, victim-activated, suicide vests, car bombs, among others). And have been able to put into practice the usefulness of various TTPs, integrating EOD practices, level 1 technical exploitation and the work of the WIT team and the CCEOD in the intelligence cycle.

Through these initiatives, the C-IED CoE once again demonstrates its commitment to training, its willingness to collaborate with other units and its role as a reference in the C-IED fight.

CENTER OF EXCELLENCE AGAINST IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES

The Centre of Excellence against Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED ‘CoE’) is one of the 30 NATO Accredited Centres of Excellence, located in ‘Hoyo de Manzanares’, Madrid. In addition to its accreditation as a ‘CoE’, it meets the quality standards required and certified by NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT) to be considered a NATO Education and Training Facility.

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 quickly evolving global scenarios.

The C-IED ‘CoE’ participates in an average of 10 NATO and NATO-sponsored exercises on an annual basis.