By NCT Consultants
Surrounded by the green hills of the South English countryside, in the picturesque village of Moreton-in-Marsh, NCT Consultants, in partnership with the UK Ministry of Defence, the National CBRN Centre, Cranfield University, and the CBRNe Society, is proud to present NCT Europe & PRO eXperience 2025 on 12–13 November. Set against the warm hues of autumn and the crisp November air, this landmark event powers the UK C-CBRN Accelerator at the Fire Service College, bringing together cross-government, industry, counter-terrorism policing, and academic experts to coordinate and enhance preparedness for CBRN and Hazmat incidents, both at home and abroad.
The conference theme, “People VS Machines: AI, Drones, Human Resilience and Knowledge Network”, explores the cutting edge of CBRNE defence, featuring discussions on AI applications, medical countermeasures, responder resilience, drone and UGV threats, and advanced detection and analysis of CBRNE agents. The event hosts an industry exhibition with 35 leading exhibitors from around the world and two days of PRO trainings where international teams train the best practices for counter CBRNE threats using the latest tools from our technology providers.
Day One and Opening Plenary
NCT Consultants and the CBRNe Society is honored to welcome Dr Kimberly Elenberg, Principal Scientist at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania as well as Professor Virginia Murray, Head of Global Disaster Risk Reduction, UK Health Security Agency. Together with the President of NCT Consultants Ilja Bonsen they address the introductory remarks of the opening plenary of the event.
After the opening plenary the first day of the Conference brings forward two sessions: the first titled “The Latest Technologies in Medical Countermeasures” addresses, as the title implies, the importance of countermeasures and the different technological innovation that this field is witnessing. The second one titled “Enhancing CBRN Resilience: Medical Preparedness, Human Performance, and Countermeasures” addresses how such countermeasures can be used to protect and enhance the work of first responders.
One of the key aspects that the first day of the event is going to count on is a session specifically focused on the medical training, technological innovations and requirements to deal with the CBRN threats. The speakers for the first day include Lt Col Dr Janet Kelly, UK the Ministry of Defence, Lt Col Warrington, Commandant, UK Defence CBRN Centre, Prof Izzy Norville from the DSTL, Prof Les Baillie, Cardiff University, and Lt Col Diane Caruana, Senior Professional for CBRN Medical Countermeasures at the Ministry of Defence and Ms Laura Cochrane, SERB’s Head of CBRN Medical.
Day Two
The second day of the Conference has three different sessions. The first one (session 3) is centred around the fight against “CBRN Crime” and feature a panel discussion that includes speakers from the INTERPOL, Mr Ian Tippett, Specialized CMX Officer, as well as Maj. Dušan Macák from the Department of Hazardous Materials and Environmental Crime of the Slovak Police.
The second one (session 4) focuses on CBRN International Training and Knowledge Networks, it includes speakers such as Col. Friedrich Aflenzer, Project Officer CBRN Defense, European Defence Agency (EDA), Lt Col (R)Stephen Johnson, from the British Ministry of Defence and Dave Crouch, Senior Lecturer at Cranfield University. In his presentation Mr Crouch presents the Counter-CBRN Professional Education Programme by Cranfield University, which comprises modular postgraduate and vocational pathways ensuring the retention of specialist expertise within Europe’s defence and emergency-response community. Whereas Colonel Aflenzer’s presentation primarily focuses on the European Defence Agency’s ongoing initiatives and activities within the CBRN domain. His lecture highlights the agency’s key initiatives in CBRN defence, focusing on international training, cooperation, and knowledge sharing. The lecture outlines the EDA’s role as an intergovernmental platform promoting collaboration among EU Member States through shared research, capability development, and joint training. The presentation emphasises the importance of exercises such as the CBRN Live Agent Training (LAT) to ensure operational readiness, interoperability, and psychological preparedness when facing real chemical, biological, or radiological threats. It also introduces the CBRN-Knowledgebase, a new digital repository designed to cconsolidate and share reliable information, doctrines, and best practices across Europe’s defence, academic, and industrial communities.
The third and last session of the day (session 5) is also the last one of the conference; it address the issue of explosive and chemical threats, with a special focus on the current threats faced by the UK and Ukraine, two countries that in recent years have experienced threats of both explosive and chemical nature. This session includes Prof Maksym Kustov, Head of Scientific Department on Problems of Civil Protection and Technogenic and Ecological Safety as well as Cpt. Ruben Drijgroningen from the Belgian Armed forces, and Chief Superintendent Malin Nygren from the Swedish Police. On top of this Ms. Sally Webb, PhD researcher from Cranfield University presents her latest research on chemical-agent simulants.
The PRO eXperience live in Europe
Running alongside the conference sessions, the NCT PRO Trainings will once again stand at the heart of NCT Europe & PRO eXperience 2025, transforming the Fire Service College into a dynamic, real-world training environment. Over the course of two days, international CBRNE and EOD response teams from across Europe and beyond will take part in live, scenario-based exercises designed to simulate complex emergencies and test operational coordination under pressure. These trainings represent one of the most distinctive aspects of the NCT concept — where classroom insights meet field realities and interoperability becomes a lived experience rather than an abstract goal.
This year’s PRO Trainings are made possible through the active participation and support of the PRO Sponsors — Bruker, Heyl, Kindeva, Respirex, SERB, and Metrohm — each providing advanced systems and solutions that push the boundaries of CBRNe response capability. From Bruker’s detection technologies to Heyl and Serb’s decontamination systems, Kindeva’s CBRN medical countermeasures, Respirex’s protective gear, and Metrohm’s field analysis equipment, these companies represent the forefront of innovation in their respective fields.
Throughout the trainings, participating teams will integrate these systems directly into mission-driven scenarios — from chemical release simulations to explosive threat containment — gaining hands-on experience with the latest tools and techniques used in real CBRNE operations. For the sponsors, the NCT PRO eXperience provides a unique opportunity to showcase their technologies in realistic conditions and gather feedback from those who operate on the front lines.
By combining live training, cutting-edge technology, and international collaboration, the NCT PRO Trainings embody the event’s core mission: to turn innovation into operational capability and strengthen the global CBRNE and EOD community through shared experience, practical learning, and partnership.
