N$150m nuclear field exercise kicks off in Erongo

Inspection teams have started searching an area of about 900 square kilometres in the Erongo region for sites planted as part of a nuclear inspection exercise.The N$150 million integrated field exercise 2026 (IFE26) simulates an on-site inspection under the comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty.“This is an exercise based on a fictional scenario. We are not conducting a nuclear test,” IFE26 exercise manager Elran Ben-Or explained in Swakopmund on Wednesday.“Actually, we are against nuclear tests,” he added.Ben-Or said organisers placed “site modifications”, such as a container, in the inspection area for teams to find.“This is a free play for the participants. So we don’t tell them where to go,” he said.Country co-chair Bufelo Lushetile said the international monitoring system of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) has more than 330 stations worldwide that record data 24 hours a day to detect nuclear explosions. The same stations record earthquakes.The N$150 million is budgeted by CTBTO from contributions by state signatories, Namibia included.Participants come from about 70 countries. About 200 are on the ground, a number expected to rise to about 350 with special delegations. Namibians serve in the management team, in the group playing the inspected state and as inspectors. Shipiki said 47 women are taking part.IFE26 is the first integrated field exercise in Africa, after Kazakhstan in 2008 and Jordan in 2014. Shipiki said Namibia expressed interest in hosting it in 2022, and Cabinet approved it last year.The exercise runs until 20 November.Ben-Or said the exercise tests equipment, procedures and international coordination, and shows organisers where the gaps are.Lushetile said the treaty, which bans nuclear explosions, is not yet in force, which means inspectors cannot be deployed to a real event. He compared the exercise to a fire drill.On the environment, Lushetile said: “Going in the field, we are going to be using existing tracks. We are using sites that already exist, that are already in exploration areas for mineral rights holders.”

N$150m nuclear field exercise kicks off in Erongo

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-16

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N$150m nuclear field exercise kicks off in Erongo

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-16

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