GLOSSARY

Common words and terms related to Explosive Ordnance Disposal

Note: Terminology varies by nation, service branch and doctrine. The alternatives listed below reflect widely encountered usage in multinational and coalition environments.

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A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

Anti-handling Device (AHD)

Definition:

A component or feature designed to function if a device is disturbed or tampered with.

Common alternatives:

Anti-disturbance device – Various
Booby-trap device – Various
Tamper switch – Various
Victim Operated (VO) – Various

Ammunition Technical Officer

Definition:

A qualified military specialist responsible for the technical management, inspection, safety and support of ammunition and explosives.

Common alternatives:

Ammunition Technical Warrant Officer – UK
Ammunition Technician Officer – Commonwealth
Ordnance Officer (Ammunition) – Various

Advanced High Risk Search Teams

Definition:

Specialist teams trained to conduct systematic searches in environments where an explosive threat is suspected or assessed to be high risk.

Common alternatives:

High Risk Search Teams – UK
Specialist Search Teams – Various
Advanced Search Teams – Various

Ammunition Technician

Definition:

A qualified specialist responsible for the inspection, maintenance, handling and technical management of ammunition and explosives.

Common alternatives:

Ammunition Technician (AT) – UK
Ammunition Specialist – Various
Ordnance Technician (Ammunition) – Various

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B

Bomb Disposal Officer

Definition:

A trained specialist responsible for the safe identification, assessment, and disposal of explosive devices.

Common alternatives:

EOD Officer – Various
EOD Operator - Various
IEDD Operator – Various
C-IED Operator – Various

Bomb Data Centre

Definition:

A specialist unit or capability responsible for the collection, analysis and management of information relating to explosive devices, incidents and associated technical data.

Common alternatives:

IED Intelligence Cell – Various
Explosive Incident Analysis Cell – Various
Technical Intelligence Cell – Various

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C

Centre of Excellence – IED Madrid

Definition:

A specialised international centre based in Madrid that provides training, doctrine development, and knowledge-sharing for Counter-IED operations.

Common alternatives:

COE – IED Madrid – NATO / International
Counter-IED Centre of Excellence – Various
IED Training Centre – Various

Counter-IED (C-IED)

Definition:

The full range of measures used to prevent, detect, mitigate, neutralise and exploit IED threats across their entire lifecycle.

Common alternatives:

Counter-IED operations – Various
IED defeat – US
C-IED capability – Various

Clearance Diver

Definition:

A qualified military diver trained to locate, identify and dispose of explosive ordnance in the maritime environment.

Common alternatives:

Mine Clearance Diver – UK
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Diver – Various
Naval EOD Diver – Various

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D

De-armer / Dearmer

Definition:

A precision tool designed to defeat or disable a fuzing systems or internal mechanisms with a controlled effect.

Common alternatives:

Firing-chain defeat tool – Various
Initiation-system disruptor – Various

Defence Against Terrorism – Ankara, Turkey

Definition:

A specialised military and civilian training and research centre in Ankara, Turkey, focused on Counter-IED, counter-terrorism, and related defence measures.

Common alternatives:

DAT Ankara – Turkey
Defence Against Terrorism Centre – Various
Counter-Terrorism Training Centre – Various

Disruptor

Definition:

A tool that delivers a controlled energetic or projectile effect in order to physically disrupt key components of an explosive device/IED.

Common alternatives:

Disruption tool – Various
Projectile disruptor – Various
Water disruptor – Various

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E

Electronic Warfare

Definition:

The strategic use of the electromagnetic spectrum to detect, disrupt, or protect against adversary communications, sensors, or electronic devices.

Common alternatives:

EW – Various
Electromagnetic Operations – NATO / International
Signals Warfare – Various

Electronic Warfare Countermeasures

Definition:

Techniques, devices, or procedures used to protect personnel, equipment, or systems from adversary electronic warfare threats.

Common alternatives:

EW Countermeasures – Various
Electronic Protection Measures – NATO / International
Counter-EW Systems – Various

Explosive Ordnance (EO)

Definition:

All munitions and devices containing explosives, including military ammunition, improvised devices and unexploded ordnance.

Common alternatives:

Explosive hazards – Various
Ammunition and explosives – Various

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)

Definition:

The specialist capability responsible for the identification, assessment, render-safe, recovery and disposal of explosive ordnance.

Common alternatives:

Bomb disposal – Various
IEDD (Improvised Explosive Device Disposal) – Various
Ammunition & explosives disposal – Commonwealth

Exploitation

Definition:

The systematic collection and analysis of device components, materials and construction methods following neutralisation.

Common alternatives:

Technical exploitation – Various
Post-incident exploitation – Various
Device exploitation – Various
Weapon Technical Intelligence/WTI – Various

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F

Explosive Train

Definition:

The sequence of components that allow a device to function, from power source and switch through to detonator and main charge.

Common alternatives:

Initiation chain – Various
Firing circuit – Various
Triggering circuit – Various

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H

High Risk Search Teams

Definition:

Specialist teams trained to conduct systematic searches in areas where there is a suspected or confirmed explosive threat.

Common alternatives:

HRST – UK / NATO
Specialist Search Teams – Various
Advanced Search Teams – Various

Home‑Made Explosive (HME)

Definition:

An explosive substance manufactured from commercially available or improvised materials, rather than from standard military or industrial explosives.

Common alternatives:

Homemade explosive – Various
Improvised explosive material – Various
Improvised explosive substance – Various

Human Intelligence – Oradea, Romania

Definition:

A specialised centre in Oradea, Romania, focused on training and operations for the collection and analysis of intelligence derived from human sources.

Common alternatives:

HUMINT Oradea – NATO / International
Human Intelligence Centre – Various
Human Source Intelligence Training – Various

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I

IEDD Operator

Definition:

A qualified operator trained specifically to deal with improvised explosive devices.

Common alternatives:

EOD operator – Various
C-IED operator – Various
Bomb disposal operator – Various

International Mine Action Standards

Definition:

A set of guidelines and best practices developed to ensure safe, effective, and consistent mine action operations worldwide.

Common alternatives:

IMAS – NATO / International
Mine Action Standards – Various
Global Mine Clearance Standards – Various

Improvised Explosive Device (IED)

Definition:

A device fabricated in an improvised manner and incorporating destructive, lethal or disruptive components, such as noxious gas, pyrotechnic, or incendiary substances.

Common alternatives:

Improvised bomb – Various
Home-made explosive device – Various

Improvised Explosive Device Countermeasures (IEDC)

Definition:

Techniques, tools, and procedures used to reduce the risk, detect, or mitigate the effects of improvised explosive devices.

Common alternatives:

IED Countermeasures – Various
Counter-IED Measures – NATO / International
IED Mitigation Techniques – Various

Improvised Explosive Device Disposal (IEDD)

Definition:

The specialist capability and procedures used to identify, assess, and render safe improvised explosive devices.

Common alternatives:

Bomb disposal – Various
EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) – Various
IED neutralisation – Various

Initiator / Detonator

Definition:

The component that provides the initial explosive or energetic output to initiate the main charge.

Common alternatives:

Blasting cap – Various
Primary detonator – Various
Initiation device – Various

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M

Manual Neutralisation

Definition:

The physical access and defeat of a device by an operator, normally using specialist tools and personal protective equipment.

Common alternatives:

Hand-on neutralisation – Various
Close-access render safe – Various
Direct intervention – Various
Manual techniques – Various

Metropolitan Explosives Officer

Definition:

A law enforcement officer trained to safely identify, assess, and dispose of explosive devices within urban or metropolitan environments.

Common alternatives:

Explosives Officer – Various
Police Bomb Technician – Various
Metropolitan EOD Officer – Various

Military Engineering – Ingolstadt, Germany

Definition:

A specialised centre in Ingolstadt, Germany, providing training and doctrine in military engineering, including explosive ordnance management and field construction.

Common alternatives:

Military Engineering Centre – Germany
Combat Engineering Training – Various
EOD & Engineering Training Centre – NATO / International

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N

Non-magnetic tools

Definition:

Tools manufactured from materials designed to minimise magnetic signature and reduce interference with sensitive components.

Common alternatives:

Low-magnetic tools – Various
Non-sparking / non-magnetic tools – Various
Intrinsic – Various

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P

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Definition:

Specialist protective equipment worn by EOD operators to mitigate blast, fragmentation and over-pressure effects.

Common alternatives:

EOD suit – Various
Bomb suit – Various
Protective ensemble – Various

Post-Blast Investigation (PBI)

Definition:

The investigation and technical examination of a scene following an explosive event.

Common alternatives:

Post-blast analysis – Various
Blast scene investigation – Various
Explosive incident investigation – Various

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R

Remote-controlled Vehicle (ROV)

Definition:

A ground robotic platform used to remotely inspect, access and deploy tools against suspected explosive threats.

Common alternatives:

Robot – Various
EOD robot – Various
UGV (Unmanned Ground Vehicle) – Various

Render Safe Procedure (RSP)

Definition:

A specific technique or method used to neutralise an explosive device so that it can be safely handled, recovered or disposed of.

Common alternatives:

Render-safe action – Various
Defeat procedure – US
Neutralisation procedure – Various

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S

Secondary Device

Definition:

An additional explosive device intended to target responders, operators or follow-on activity.

Common alternatives:

Follow-on device – Various
Secondary IED – Various
Secondary threat – Various

Stand-off Neutralisation

Definition:

Neutralisation of a device from a distance using remote tools, robotics or projected disruption systems.

Common alternatives:

Remote neutralisation – Various
Remote intervention – Various
Distance defeat – Various

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T

Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs)

Definition:

Established methods and approaches used by military or specialist units to carry out operations effectively and consistently.

Common alternatives:

TTP – NATO / International
Operational Procedures – Various
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) – Various

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U

Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)

Definition:

Explosive ordnance that has been fired, dropped, launched or projected but failed to function as intended.

Common alternatives:

Duds – Various
Unexploded munitions – Various
Unexploded Bomb (UXB) – Various
Misfire – Various
Legacy munitions – Various

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W

Weapons Intelligence Teams

Definition:

Specialist teams responsible for collecting, analysing, and reporting information on weapons, explosive devices, and related threats to support operational planning and mitigation.

Common alternatives: