Counter Terrorism Science & Technology Centre
From SR
Roles
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) Counter Terrorism Science and Technology Centre exists to respond to the increasing terrorist threats facing the UK and our Armed Forces.
The Centre acts as the hub for UK MOD Counter Terrorism (CT) Science and Technology (S&T) research. It facilitates innovation and problem solving, delivering rapid solutions to ensure that the best science underpins MOD's and more broadly, the Government's response to the threats posed by terrorism.
The Centre is actively seeking S&T collaboration with national and international partners, in academia, industry and government to work together in the global fight against terrorism.
Whilst the primary objective of the Centre is to focus on MOD requirements, it is also available to assist other government departments engaged in domestic counter-terrorism. Given the complexity of such threats, it is vital for all areas of government to collaborate.
The Centre acts as a portal for government departments into MOD CT technologies and although owned by the MOD, many of its initiatives are of interest to all those involved in CT. The Centre provides support to customers in security, intelligence, technology acquisition and operations at home and abroad.
Background
With terrorist threats against the military and security forces becoming increasingly sophisticated and diverse, S&T advice is playing an ever more important role in the planning, preparation and prosecution of military and security operations. For instance, Operation Telic (the deployment of coalition personnel to Iraq in 2003) saw the largest deployment of scientists to theatre since World War II.
So diverse and sophisticated are the threats being faced that efficient and collaborative S&T research programmes are being called for. The Centre serves as the unifying hub to optimise CT support resources. It brings coherence to existing programmes and widens the technical base from which it draws its expertise. As such, the Centre not only represents MOD’s S&T laboratories, but works closely with academia and industry on counter-terrorism and national security projects.
Reporting Hierarchy
The Centre is an MOD driven initiative and although owned by MOD, the Centre operates at arm’s length to optimise and enhance the UK’s technical capability to support CT S&T, engaging all areas of Government.
The Centre will report to the MOD Chief Scientific Adviser through an independent Board. The Centre is based at Porton Down to take advantage of the existing infrastructure and expertise at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). Dstl is also responsible for the Centre’s financial probity and viability.
