FORT A.P. Hill, VA - ATF’s National Center for Explosives Training and Research hosts the annual Raven’s Challenge Interoperability Exercise as an international preparedness event that tests interagency partners’ response tactics used to detect and deter explosives/bombing threats.
Fort A.P. Hill was chosen to host the exercise this year along with Pinal Airpark, Camp Dodge, and Fort Knox.
This is Fort A.P. Hills first year hosting the event. EOD technicians from the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, ATF, CIA. FBI and international partners from Belgium, Canada and Tunisia all traveled to the garrison to participate.
The full-scale training event is part of ATF’s
U.S. Bomb Data Center tactical training programs used to enhance certified explosive specialists, arson experts and bomb technicians responses to explosive threats.
Raven's Challenge incorporates scenarios focused on interoperability between public safety bomb squads and military EOD units.
For example, they learn how to use cutting-edge technologies and interoperability communications tools to safely resolve improvised explosive device incidents across the nation. The training began in 2004 as an ATF-led training exercise designed a military explosive ordnance teams and civilian public safety bomb squads in Seattle, Washington.
Ravens Challenge, an ATF National Center for Explosives Training and Research exercise, held on Fort A.P. Hill, allows participants to disarm an IED in a realistic indoor setting.
The program expanded over the years to become the largest, globally recognized explosives ordnance and public safety bomb specialist training event in the world. In addition, Raven’s Challenge is recognized as the leading-edge counter improvised explosives device exercise by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Over the past 15 years, Raven’s Challenge helped increase awareness about evolving explosives and bombings threats and the importance of a coordinated response by military and police organizations. In 2019, the event included 342 training iterations comprising more than 1,000 personnel involved in the participation and execution of the exercise.
For more information check out the Ravens Challenge website at https://psbseod.com.
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