Defence`s Feeds

Bison Counter 2023 (BC23), the largest European exercise to combat improvised explosive devices (IEDs), concludes in Spain after 12 intense days of joint training. The exercise, hosted by the Spanish Armed Forces, mobilized more than 1,000 personnel from 16 countries, either actively in different trainings or as observers. More than 270 scenarios were conducted between the two exercise sites.

The objective of the BC23 exercise was to train the full spectrum of the Counter-IED concept in a multi-level domain from tactical to operational. The exercise also took a multi-domain approach with land and maritime deployments across two locations, Cartagena and Zaragoza, including; 

• Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD),
• Military Working Dogs (K9),
• Underwater Work (UW), 
• Route Clearance Package (RCP),
• Weapons Intelligence Team (WIT),
• European Centre of Manual Neutralization Capabilities (ECMAN)
• Joint Deployable Laboratory for Exploitation and Analysis (JDEAL)

To achieve the highest level of full-spectrum C-IED training, role players and more than 300 vehicles were employed, including Centaurs from the Spanish 11 Cavalry Regiment, RG-31s, Huskies, armored JCBs, VAMTACs, Mk5s and Infantry Piranhas, to name a few. During the live exercise all tasks were observed to provide an after-action review as baseline for the lessons identified / lessons learned (LI/LL) process. Beginning next year, BC23 will be completed by a workshop reviewing the complete exercise, the observed LI/LL and a handover from Spain to the host nation for Bison Counter 2025, the Netherlands. 

BC23 - full -spectrum, multilevel and multidomain  BC23 C-IED concept is based on a full -spectrum, multilevel and multidomain approach, integrating the intelligence cycle which allows interconnection among all levels. Figure 1 and the following assignment of the C-IED enabler illustrates the understanding of this.

Assuming that during an operation an IED was suspected by the involved forces. This suspected IED can be confirmed in various ways, including Route Clearance (RC), usage of Military Working Dogs (K9) and Underwater Work (UW), capabilities that were amongst others also practiced within the EDA Program Military Search Capability Building (MSCB ).

Once the IED is confirmed the (C-IED) Task Force decides how to eliminate this threat. The common approach is tasking Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD). But there are situations where the use of EOD may be inappropriate or the risk of exploding a device is unacceptable (i.e., direct threat to human life, critical effect on the mission, recovery of an intact device is of interest for exploitation, combination with CBRN payload). Therefore, manual neutralization is required. This highest level of skill and training can be achieved by courses delivered under the EDA program: European Centre of Manual Neutralization Capabilities (ECMAN).

After eliminating the threat, collection of evidence for further investigation is attempted. This is usually done by a Weapon Intelligence Team (WIT) or similar capabilities (Level 1 exploitation). The collected evidence is forwarded for Level 2 Exploitation, a capability provided by another EDA program, the Joint Deployable Laboratory for Exploitation and Analysis (JDEAL). The results provide information on enemy techniques, tactics and procedures (TTP), which can be used in further operational planning and thus contribute directly to the preparation of forces (PtF).

16 countries – together  BC23 brought together personnel from 16 countries: Spain, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Slovenia participated actively.; Tthe United States, Latvia, Romania and Sweden participated as Observer countries. Luxembourg and Norway are also member countries of the BISON COUNTER EXERCISES project, although they did not participate with troops in BC23.
 

 

 

 

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The European Defence Agency (EDA) began implementing two strategic defence research projects, ECOBALLIFE and ARTURO, that were selected under the European Defence Fund (EDF) 2021 call for proposals.

The EDF incentivises cooperation and supports the competitiveness of the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base. It aims at providing financial support to defence research and capability development. In line with the EDF Regulations and following the signature of the Contribution Agreement by the European Commission, EDA is responsible for the indirect management of the projects.

ECOBALLIFE

The project ‘Research in Eco-designed Ballistic Systems for Durable Lightweight Protections Against Current and New Threats in Platform and Personal Applications’ was selected in the EDF area of materials and structures for enhanced protection in hostile environments. It analyses new materials and technologies improving protection for soldiers and vehicles against a wide range of threats and identifies European know-how in the field of military protection systems.

Coordinated by TECNALIA from Spain, ECOBALLIFE brings together 16 partners from six EU Member States. The €10 million project officially kicked-off on 13 September 2023 at the coordinator’s premises in San Sebastián, Spain, and will conclude in 42 months’ time.

Find more information about the ECOBALLIFE project and the consortium here.

ARTURO

The project ‘Advanced Radar Technology in eUROpe’ consolidates state-of-the-art technologies, emerging concepts, and trends in the field of radar technology, responding to future operational needs in the European armed forces.

The consortium is led by Leonardo S.p.A. from Italy and encompasses 25 participants from 11 Member States. The €20 million project kicked-off on 4 and 5 October 2023 in Rome, Italy, and will conclude in 36 months’ time.

Find more information about the ARTURO project and the consortium here.

Over 180 experts from 29 countries, along with more than 30 different institutions and organisations, participated in the sixth conference of the third phase of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS III) in Malaga. This was the highest level of participation since the start of the project. It underscored the Consultation Forum's status as the biggest European defence energy community. 

CF SEDSS is a European Commission-funded initiative managed by the EDA. 

EDA organised the sixth CF SEDSS III conference on 22-23 November 2023 under the auspices of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union and hosted by the Ministry of Defence of Spain, with the support of Engineering Systems for the Defence of Spain. This plenary conference was combined with the second Energy Technology Solutions Conference, held on 24 November 2023, and an onsite exhibition, showcasing cutting-edge energy technology solutions applicable to defence.  

Conference participants discussed energy efficiency measures in military buildings, electrification of military transport, energy storage, resilience of defence-related critical energy infrastructure and the energy transition. Participants were updated on EU energy policies and strategies.

For the first time, the community welcomed the acting U.S Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, who spoke on the US defence energy technology trends. 

Committed to sustainable energy in defence 

The conference was opened with speeches by EDA Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý, Lieutenant General Luis Cebrián Carbonell, Director of Infrastructures Directorate, Ministry of Defence, Spain, and Paula Pinho, Director, Directorate-General for Energy, European Commission. Brigadier General E. Ruiz Alonso, Chief, Spanish Army General Logistics Base Program Support Office, Spanish Ministry of Defence, gave a keynote speech. 

In his speech, EDA's Šedivý highlighted that the Consultation Forum conference “is more than an examination of energy policy and exhibition of technological advancements. It is a testament to our collective and continued commitment towards sustainable energy within the defence sector." He looked ahead to 2040, where EDA “foresees a transformation in warfare — driven by digitisation and greener consciousness, with climate change at the forefront of security and operational landscapes.”

Lieutenant General Luis Cebrián Carbonell, Director of Infrastructures Directorate, Ministry of Defence, Spain said: “The defence sector is proactively defining its energy and environmental strategies, with a focus on achieving national and European goals for improved energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions."

Paula Pinho, Director, Directorate-General for Energy, European Commission said: “Recent events have also put the Consultation Forum at the centre of the European scene. What started focusing on the secondary issue, developed into a wide and well-established EU action in the defence domain – a network of experts who learned to work together, presenting a blueprint for future European armed forces.”

EDA and the European Commission are working on initiating Phase IV of the Consultation Forum, starting in 2024 and continuing until 2028, Pinho said.

In his keynote address, Brigadier General E. Ruiz Alonso said: “The new Army Logistics Base to be established is meticulously conceived from its inception to seamlessly integrate state-of-the-art advancements in sustainable and efficient energy utilisation. This project is instrumental in cultivating a contemporary sustainable and human-centric environment … to bolster the operations of diverse units within the Spanish Army.” 

2024 event 

The CF SEDSS dissemination event will take place on 25 April 2024 under the auspices of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU and hosted by the Belgian Ministry of Defence. This will be the final event of CF SEDSS Phase III, where project results and outputs achieved in the last four years will be presented.  

More information:  

• CF SEDSS website 

• Defence and energy communities step up efforts on sustainable energy and publish new ground-breaking climate change study (europa.eu) 

• Climate change and EU defence: released new report analysing the links between climate, energy and defence (europa.eu) 

• Tabletop exercise and new study focus on protecting critical energy infrastructure (europa.eu) 

• EDA-led energy forum meets to reduce defence carbon footprint (europa.eu) 

• Fifth Consultation Forum meets in Prague to promote sustainable energy in defence (europa.eu) 

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