Exercise Thunderbolt

Assessing core individual competencies in the human and special operations domain to regional and international standards.

The exercise war-games scenarios and tests special operations intelligence readiness and preparedness at the individual level as prescribed by international and regional competency frameworks. As a full field training exercise (FTX), the exercise is oriented towards qualified human domain specialists or those shortly to qualify and undertaking the culminating exercise (CULEX) as a competency assessment for professional membership.

The exercise is only open to aspiring specialists currently enrolled in the CSC, EUHEC, EUSRC and EUUOC. It places particular emphasis on compliance with professional standards, ethics and law.

Target Audience

Participants should familiarise themselves with their language option, the subject of counter-terrorism and expect to conduct covert action assignments against hostile threats. The exercise should not be attempted without having completed specialist regional and international training in field operations, surveillance and undercover operations.

Exercise Format

In a one week intensive exercise Ex. THUNDERBOLT is designed to assess regional skills and knowledge in special operations throughout European states. Throughout the individual competency assessment a variety of assessment methods have been used including:

1. Practical: Participants are exposed to a live situation in the real world and are required to solve problems and take actions in response to ongoing events.
2. Simulation: Participants are required to answer questions, resolve problems and perform tasks based on changing circumstances provided within a realistic simulated environment.
3. Observation & Sampling: Participants are observed taking on a particular role within a special operations cell with their output deliverables scrutinised.

Exercise Overview

"Contemporary social, communication and political factors fuel domestic terrorism in Europe. Hostile communist revolutionaries, nationalist agitators and hostile governments exploit the counter-terroism focus on Islamic threats. Enemies overseas induce divisions between the member states and weaken the security of the union. Europe's vigilance may be relentless, but its scope fatally limited."

- Exercise scenario, Ex. THUNDERBOLT Player Handbook

Ex. THUNDERBOLT is loosely based on the events surrounding the IDF operation of the same name, often referred to as Op. Entebbe or Op. Jonathan. However, sufficient material has been altered so prior knowledge will not aid participants. Over a week, participants will develop and implement a reconnaissance plan targeted along a European coastline. Participants will work long hours under stressful conditions and will be expected to combine techniques from multiple covert intelligence disciplines in the implementation of policy.

The exercise begins with an introduction and background briefing from the instructors, after which students will be divided up into operational cells to assign roles amongst themselves. Participants will be forced to adapt to constantly changing operational conditions over long hours in a high-pressure environment.

The first day involves the analysis of material, reconnaissance planning and the allocation of duties for the forthcoming week to meet operational objectives. Events then take place forcing the teams to support a counter-terrorism mission. Participants are expected to employ a range of covert deception activities legally and ethically in order to meet tactical, operational and strategic needs without compromising the wider deception strategy.

Participants will face ethical, legal, administrative and operational challenges throughout the exercise and will be expected to respond under the challenge of limited resources. Candidates will be expected to provide updates to SF operational management teams, the CI/HUMINT operations manager and other necessary counter-terrorism and covert operations stakeholders twice daily. By the end of the exercise participants will be expected to demonstrate clear tangible support to the counter-terrorism mission whilst meeting the surveillance strategy.

The final day involves monitoring events in real-time, reflecting and evaluating as a group. Throughout the exercise instructors look for an awareness of legal regulation and ethical guidelines governing covert operations and adherence to them under duress, satisfying multiple conflicting goals, prioritising critical objectives and adherence to policy and best practice.

Dates & Times

The exercise begins on the fifth Monday of July or the first Monday of August each year and runs for 5 consecutive days. Applications may take up to 4 weeks to process and candidates must have completed pre-requisite e-learning prior to entry which may take up to 14 months depending on their access route.

Standards

Exercises are fully accredited for compliance with international standards. For further details on Institute requirements, international standards and accreditation, view the Accreditation page.

Fees & Discounts

Not including accommodation, the cost of the exercise is included in the course fees of the CSC, EUHEC, EUSRC or EUUOC. Candidates must enter Ex. THUNDERBOLT via an approved course.

After the exercise has been evaluated for competency, those passing the exercise and meeting other requirements for registration are celebrated at an annual awards ceremony. Ceremonies are black-tie events held in venues of historical importance to mark the admission of graduates into the Institute and to celebrate outstanding achievements of previous graduates.

Location

Vienna.