Exercise Saton Force: Bomb Disposal Experts Put Their Skills To The Test

Bomb disposal experts have taken part in a joint military and police exercise to test their ability to respond to a suspected explosive device.

Exercise Saton Force, held annually at Catterick Garrison, accesses explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) personnel for the renewal of their licences. 

More than 700 civilian police joined the 15 operatives being tested, developing their integrated response to such emergencies.  

11 EOB Regiment are called out to between 2,500 to 3,000 EOD tasks on the UK mainland every year. 

Major Mike Luedicke, Officer Commanding 521 Squadron, 11 EOD Regiment says:

"Of those, typically 500 may well be IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), whether that's from a criminal or potentially a terrorist grouping.

"The other 2,000 odd tasks could be anything from large air drop Second World War bombs or a whole host of other items of explosive ordinance that members of the public discover ... And then we're tasked by the police to deal with those."