The second edition of the ‘DOMEX 26.2’ course comes to an end

• Delivered by the NATO-accredited C-IED Centre of Excellence, it brought together 12 students of 7 nationalities. 

The Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices Centre of Excellence (C-IED COE) conducted the second edition of the DOMEX (Document and Media Exploitation) course for 2026 between September 8 and 25.

Inaugurated by the Director of the C-IED COE, Colonel Javier Sanz Maldonado, the course brought together 12 students of 7 nationalities from various armies and security forces.

This course aims to strengthen technical exploitation capabilities at Level 1 (tactical level), primarily in disciplines related to document exploitation (DOCEX), electronic media exploitation (MEDEX), mobile phone exploitation (CELLEX), and the exploitation of drones and related control systems (UAS) when used as delivery vehicles for improvised explosive devices.

The objective of the course is to train students to collect, preserve, extract, and analyze data and information from material obtained from the adversary in incidents involving improvised explosive devices (IEDs), for subsequent integration into Level 2 technical exploitation.

The three-week course was structured into distinct phases. The DOMEX Operator phase, spanning two weeks, took place initially in Hoyo de Manzanares (Madrid) and subsequently at the San Marcial Division facilities (Burgos). During this second week, a training scenario was conducted focusing on responding to incidents involving emerging technological threats.

The activity allowed participants to face a dynamic and realistic scenario in which they had to apply the procedures and knowledge acquired during the training phase, working with various elements and technological devices related to the presented scenario.

Subsequently, the DOMEX Analyst phase was conducted at the Hungarian Defence Forces Non-Commissioned Officer Academy in Szentendre, Hungary.

Conducting the course at various locations facilitated progress in specialized training within the DOMEX domain, preparing specialists to address the challenges arising from the increasing use of electronic devices and new technologies in current operational scenarios.

Furthermore, the training program combined theoretical and practical sessions across various fields of knowledge, utilizing specialized, advanced software tools and solutions. These activities were supported by an international, interdisciplinary team of military and civilian experts who contributed their knowledge and experience throughout the various phases of the course.

Once again, the C-IED COE continues to provide relevant training for NATO countries, updating personnel on key topics such as technical exploitation and fostering information sharing and continuous updating among Alliance members.