Colin King discusses the importance of munitions clearance and weapons intelligence.

Colin King, an expert in munitions clearance and weapons intelligence, shares his journey from a young enthusiast playing with explosives to becoming a highly experienced professional in the field. He discusses the challenges faced in different conflict environments and the personal impact of post-conflict munitions on individuals. Colin emphasizes the importance of intelligence in EOD work and the role of open source intelligence (OSINT) in sharing information and analyzing weapons. He also highlights the significance of artificial intelligence (AI) in processing vast amounts of data and improving the efficiency of EOD operations. Colin concludes by discussing the role of the Institute of Munition Clearance and Search Engineers (IMCSE) in fostering cooperation and knowledge sharing among subject matter experts in the field.

This engaging discussion in the IMCSE podcast features Colin King, a seasoned expert in munitions clearance and weapons intelligence. Colin shares his journey from childhood fascination with explosives to his current role as the Chief Intelligence Officer at Fenix Insight Limited, providing insights into the various conflict zones he has worked in. He stresses mechanisms of gathering open-source intelligence, including artificial intelligence, and the necessity of sharing this information in conflict zones like Ukraine. He discusses how climate changeis impacting their work and advocates for the necessary regulation and structured approach in explosive ordinance disposal. The insightful podcast sheds light on the vital role of the explosive ordinance disposal community in post-conflict recovery and the various technical and operational challenges they face.

To become a member of IMCSE you can sign up https://imcse.org/membership/membership-subscriptions/

Quotes:

Colin King-(0:07:37)
"It can't get more visceral, more personal than that, really."

Colin King-(0:08:12)
"If we do nothing, people will try and help themselves the best way they can, because they have no choice."

Colin King-(0:10:44)
"The ability to correctly identify weapons, to understand their effects and to understand the risks involved and how to control and apply controls to those risks is vital."

Colin King-(0:11:53)
"The realization that people on the ground need to understand, need to have access to technical detail, technical intelligence."

Colin King-(0:13:22)
"There is information everywhere. Some of it's right, some of it's wrong. Most of it is utterly irrelevant."

Colin King-(0:14:18)
"The machines still need training by people that know what they're doing, and that takes time."

Colin King-(0:16:21)
"A lot of detection technology has been really incremental in change. It hasn't made a step change."

Colin King-(0:17:19)
"The likelihood is that there will be residual contamination, and assessing that risk and controlling that risk becomes more important."

Colin King-(0:19:42)
"It's all about cooperation. It's all about the ability to marshal those resources and use other people's expertise to cover the gaps in your own knowledge."

Colin King-(0:25:30)
"The quick answer is an absolute fascination with the subject coupled with a perception of real need in the communities we work with."

Learn about Colin's company Fenix insight and the work they do - https://www.fenix-insight.online/

Connect with Colin on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colin-king-053a4b48/