The Explosive Ordinance Disposal Centre of Excellence supports and enhances NATO’s transformation and operational efforts by sharing expertise and engaging the broader explosive ordinance disposal community of interest.
The Explosive Ordinance Disposal Centre of Excellence is located in Trenčín, Slovakia, and received its official accreditation in 2011. As a recognized leader in the field of Explosive Ordinance Disposal, the Centre enhances NATO’s transformational and operational efforts by providing expertise and support to the Alliance, Sponsoring Nations, and other military and civilian institutions. It also delivers valuable contributions to the Alliance’s Warfare Development efforts through its Education and Training, Analysis and Lessons Learned, Concept Development, and Doctrine Development and Experimentation programmes.
The 2023 Programme of Work being undertaken by the Centre includes several high level projects, such as the testing and evaluation of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal and Improvised Explosive Device Disposal Virtual Reality Training and Combat Support Kit. The field test of this product took place on July 6-7, 2023, and showcased the full range of training options to participants. In doing so, this test enabled explosive ordinance disposal operators of various levels and skills to offer their perspectives on how to improve the product. The Training and Combat Support Kit will undergo field testing again this fall at the upcoming NATO Explosive Ordinance Disposal Demonstrations and Trials, that is scheduled to take place from October 11-12, 2023.
Another highlight of the Centre’s Programme of work is its ongoing cooperation with the military engineering community of interest. From June 13-16, 2023, the Centre participated in the 24th Military Engineering Working Group that aimed to finalize NATO doctrine related to military load classification of bridges, ferries, rafts, and vehicles and merge doctrine related to counter-mobility. The Centre provided contributions to the Doctrine and Planning Panel as well as the Terminology Panel, providing unique insights from an explosive ordinance disposal perspective. The Centre also participated in the 25th Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices Working Group in Stockholm, Sweden, from June 20-22, 2023, where it provided updated information from the explosive ordinance disposal field of expertise, particularly as it relates to doctrine and terminology.
NATO-accredited Centres of Excellence are (multi-) nationally established and sponsored entities, which offer recognized expertise and experience within a defined subject matter area to the benefit of the Alliance. Centres of Excellence are not part of the NATO Command Structure, but form part of the wider framework that contributes to the functioning of the Alliance. Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation coordinates the activities of the Centres of Excellence, ensuring that their outputs align with Allied Command Transformation’s Programme of Work. For more information about NATO-accredited Centres of Excellence, see the 2023 Centres of Excellence Catalogue.