Welcome to Cotec

COTEC performs independent Test & Evaluation on munitions, weapon systems, pyrotechnic and explosive stores, and conducts disposals and demilitarisation, although its extensive range facilities are suitable for testing other materials and equipment.

COTEC is situated on the edge of Salisbury Plain at Gore Cross near to West Lavington in Wiltshire and is a centre within the Cranfield School of Defence and Security at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. Cranfield Defence and Security is the Academic Provider to the UK MoD for a wide range of Defence Engineering and Scientific courses. COTEC itself is situated in Area 9 of Salisbury Plain Training Area and has the ability to fire munitions into the impact area (Areas 15 and 16). COTEC Staff are also well equipped to support research activities conducted by colleagues and students located at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom.

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Testing

COTEC is licensed by the MOD and other organizations and is accredited to EN ISO 9001:2008.

Although trials are primarily of energetic materials, ordnance and weapon systems, the facilities also allow the testing of non-explosive items (for example, Rapid Decompression). Customers include the UK MOD, Dstl, Foreign Defence Departments, the Atomic Weapons Establishment, Commercial Defence suppliers and manufacturers, as well a large number of smaller specialist companies.

No explosive limits are laid down but daily limits are determined by the use of a meteorological analysis programme, which takes into account prevailing weather, particularly wind and precipitation.

Cranfield Defence and Security

COTEC is a centre within the Cranfield School of Defence and Security (CDS). CDS is based at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom and is a post graduate academic provider to the UK MOD along with foreign governments, militaries and NGO’s meaning that CDS is underpinning defence and security developments across the globe.

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