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The C-IED centre of excellence supports the Spanish Navy with its DOMEX equipment

In Cartagena, Murcia
February 3, 2025
  • They have been working with Navy personnel to enhance their knowledge in this technical exploitation capacity for information gathering

The Centre of Excellence against Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED COE)  has organised a series of activities at the 'La Algameca' naval base in Cartagena to help strengthen the Spanish Navy's DOMEX capabilities.

DOMEX (Document and Media Exploitation) is a technical exploitation capability focused on gathering, analysing and exploiting information contained in documents and electronic media (computers, phones, storage devices, drones, etc.) captured from the enemy. The objective of DOMEX is to extract relevant information and make it available to intelligence and operational personnel to feed the intelligence cycle and support the decision-making process.

Due to the importance of DOMEX capabilities in today's conflicts, the Improvised Explosive Devices Centre of Excellence organised DOMEX Defence Capacity Building (DCB) activities in Germany and Hungary in 2024.

En In 2025, this has been the first activity and has involved personnel from the Special Naval Warfare Force and the Mine Action Diver Unit.

The activity has been developed in theoretical and practical sessions, focusing on the exploitation of documents (DOCEX), electronic devices (MEDEX), mobile phones (CELLEX) and drones, through the use of advanced digital forensic tools and techniques. During the last two days, an exercise designed to assess the consolidation of the knowledge acquired was carried out. The participants had to execute the complete technical exploitation process, from the search and collection of the material to the analysis of the acquired data.

The activity has equipped the Special Naval Warfare Force and the Mine Action Diver Unit members with new capabilities for the exploitation and analysis of information contained in electronic documents and devices, resulting in a significant improvement in their ability to obtain intelligence to support the decision-making process.

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 fight against C-IED.

IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE

The Centre of Excellence against Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED COE) is one of the 30 NATO Accredited Centres of Excellence. It is located in the Madrid town of Hoyo de Manzanares. 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 counter-IED support to NATO, NATO Allies and the international community in order to enhance the security of deployed forces by reducing or eliminating the threat of IEDs, particularly from terrorist and insurgent networks as well as new threats arising from rapidly changing global scenarios.

The C-IED COE contributes to strengthening the defence capabilities of NATO countries, particularly the Centre's sponsor nations, as outlined in its work-plan.

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