Event Announcement

Denmark | 24-27 AUG 2026

Battlefield Forensics Workshop 2026 (BFWS26)

Purpose and Aim

BFWS26 will bring together experts, practitioners, and decision-makers from across NATO, partner nations, government agencies, academia, and industry to shape the future of Battlefield Forensics. To support the ongoing Battlefield Forensics research, this workshop explores the future of forensic practices in conflict and crisis response.

  • Objectives
  • Strengthen collaboration across forensic and intelligence domains
  • Share lessons learned from recent operations and historical case studies
  • Test and refine the Battlefield Forensics Framework through tabletop exercises
  • Connect military, civilian, and industrial stakeholders in open dialogue and demonstration

Programme Overview:

  • Day 1: Opening Remarks, Presentations, Keynote Speakers
  • Day 2: Syndicate Work and Tabletop Exercise
  • Day 3: Tabletop Exercise and Technology Workshop
  • Day 4: Continuation of Syndicate Work, Group Presentation of Outcomes, Closing Remarks

Key Support:

This research is in part sponsored by the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme under grant id G9286.

University of Exeter

Project Directors​

NATO Project Director

MSG Rikke Rietveld

Danish Special Operations Command

Battlefield Forensics Specialist

Partner Project Director

Irma Deljkic

Faculty of Criminal Justice and Security Studies, University of Sarajevo

Full Professor

University of Exeter

Co-directors

Adam Rutland

Co-Director

Centre for Information

Resilience

CEO & Co-founder

Paddy Ginn

Co-Director

Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime

Senior Expert

Winthrop Wells

Co-Director

International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ)

Acting Director, Programmatic Unit

Stephan Naji

Co-Director

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Head of Recovery Unit

Mike Harris

Co-Director

Cranfield University

Lecturer – Explosive and Hazardous Investigations

Phil Roberts (WO1)

Co-Director

8 Engineer Brigade, British Army

Brigade Senior Ammunition Technician

Maksym Tymochko

Co-Director

Ministry of Defence of Ukraine

Senior Officer

Karl Harrison

Co-Director

University of Exeter

Professor of Practice

University of Exeter

Core Planners

Stratcom Coordinator/Planner

Sarah Ashbridge

S A Consultancy (Yorkshire) / RUSI

Director / Affiliate Expert

Syndicate Lead/Planner​

Stephen Fonseca

International Committee of the Red Cross

Forensic Manager, MPI Project

Key Partners:

  • Danish Special Operations Command (SOKOM)
  • New Zealand Institute of Public Health and Forensic Science (PHF Science)
  • Cranfield University
  • UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL)
  • Belgium Army
  • Danish Police

Workshop Information/Documents BFWS26