The NATO Accredited Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices - Centre of Excellence (C-IED COE) organizes the Technical Exploitation in Water Environment 2024 (TEWE24) Seminar

22 November 2024.- From 19 to 21 November, the C-IED COE organized the fourth edition of its Technical Exploitation in Water Environment Seminar (TEWE24), held at its facilities in Hoyo de Manzanares, Madrid.   

The Seminar was officially opened by the C-IED COE director, Colonel Javier Corbacho Margallo, who acknowledged the presence of all the attendees and briefers, especially highlighting the cooperation of the Spanish law enforcement agencies in the execution of the trials analyzed during the Seminar.

One of the attendees was Mr. Sam Henze, from NATO’s Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber Division, who underlined the importance of the technical exploitation discipline for the Allies’ interoperability and the support to operations.

This fourth edition has counted on the participation of the Mine counter-measures Diving Unit, Spanish National Police and Civil Guard, as well as with experts from the C-IED COE, NATO and Swedish organizations related to technical exploitation.

During the three day-Seminar, experts in technical exploitation from Belgium, Canada, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye and the United States have gathered in an environment favourable to share expertise and knowledge and to foster the improvement of procedures and the interagency collaboration.

Prior to the celebration of the Seminar, several exercises and trials were conducted in order to assess the effects of IED in water environments, both on the surface and under water. Such effects and their exploitation in order to obtain information were analyzed during the Seminar. The sessions focused on physicochemical reactions, case analysis, infrastructures design, threat analysis, and collection and preservation of potential evidence.

15 November 2024 - The Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices – Centre of Excellence held, from 04 to 08 November, the DOMEX (Document and Media Exploitation) “Train the Trainers” Course at its facilities in Hoyo de Manzanares, Madrid.

Organized and managed by C-IED CoE staff and sponsored by the NATO Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber Division, the Course has received 8 instructors of 3 nations (Greece, Spain and United States), including members of different armies, Law Enforcement Agencies and civilians.  

The C-IED CoE has been working on Technical Exploitation supporting Attack the Networks since its creation in 2010. Back then, it was the only international organization who offered training in DOMEX.

In recent years, demand for DOMEX courses has increased, as the Allies have realized the importance of extracting and sharing information from documents and digital devices (especially UAVs and mobile phones) found in theatres of operations. That is why the C-IED CoE supports NATO members and partner nations through the DOMEX courses (basic and advanced) with several iterations per year.

With this idea in mind, the DOMEX “Train the Trainers” Course was organized, in order to improve the instructors’ training, increase the pool of SMEs and help nations develop their own DOMEX capabilities.

During this one-week course, the previous syllabus was reviewed, improved (through a lessons-learned process) and adapted to the ever-changing global scenario. From the technical point of view, attendees were trained in advanced extraction techniques (Chip-Off) applied to damaged devices that cannot be processed using standard procedures. They also received specific training in recently acquired digital forensic tools.

As the instructors’ technical skills have been enhanced, future DOMEX courses will benefit from this advanced knowledge.

Courses will resume during the second quarter of 2025.

30 October 2024.- From 21 to 25 October, the Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices – Centre of Excellence has organized a new iteration of the C-IED Staff Officers Course at its facilities in Hoyo de Manzanares, Madrid.

Opened by its Deputy Director, American Colonel Christopher P. Bartos, the course has gathered 24 students from 12 nations.

As in previous editions, its aim is to provide C-IED Staff Officers and Senior Staff Assistants, at upper tactical and operational levels, with the knowledge and skills to facilitate, manage and lead the C-IED effort.

Experts from the CoE have led the training that has mainly focused on the threat, the doctrine and the operational planning. Through the completion of theoretical sessions and practical exercises in a fictitious scenario, attendees have been able to debate, share experiences and exchange knowledge and good practices.

Next iteration of the course will be held in the first quarter of 2025.

ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT BRANCH

The Administration and Support Branch plays a crucial role performing and facilitating the execution of administrative activities and procedures for the operation of the C -IED CoE.

They provide assistance in human resources, security and information flow.

 The Branch is divided into three sections:

• - Financial Control.
• - Administration Support.
• - CIS team.

 4.2.1. Financial Control

They provide support in financial planning, billing and record keeping, as well as managing the financial resources assigned to the C-IED CoE according to its MoU.

4.2.2. Administrative Support

They make sure all national and foreign personnel benefit from the rights granted to the C-IED CoE through the implementation of SOFA (NATO Status Of Forces Agreement).

This section is responsible for the Centre’s equipment and supplies, travel arrangements and messaging between the Centre and national and international organizations, such as the Spanish Joint Staff, the European Union and NATO.

All administrative and functional aspects of the CoE Lodging “Almirante González-Huix Fernández” are also taken care of by this section.

4.2.3. CIS Team

They are responsible for managing and providing support for all CIS systems at the Centre.

They bring personnel, processes and technology together, making sure all needs related to courses, meetings and conferences are technically met.

They are constantly innovating to create solutions for the different challenges the Centre faces, including cyber security and classified information.

They are responsible for planning, managing, updating and supporting the use of the CIS services and systems assigned to the CoE as an International Military Organization.