BLACK CAT WATCH
Welcome to the Janaury 2026 edition of the Black Cat Watch. In this edition we cover the months of December 2025 and January 2026. We report on the latest updates in EOD capabilty, the worldwide EOD news, and a small sample of recent UK EOD incidents, with multiple UK civilian EOD companies, and the Bomb trucks being called out on average 8 times per day the incidents are too numerous for this newsletter. The 2025 monthly rate of discovery was ~700 items of UneXploded Ordnance(UXO), which included ~5 WW2 bombs (monthly).
The Regiment
Regimental Update
The period December to January is punctuated by Christmas leave, this typically runs from mid December until the second week in January. Leading up to the break various Christmas parties for the children (and adults) were held. In January the training restarts typically with MATS, to ensure all personnel pass their annual personal military tests. Towards the end of the month the Regiment held its annual section competion. In the picture above the CO addresses the competing sections at the end of the competition on the 25th January.
EOD Capability Update
AI & Robotics
The 2026 market is seeing a surge in AI-integrated EOD robots that can autonomously navigate rubble and identify threats. New systems being deployed in 2026 include "contactless" life monitoring radars (to check for life signs near IEDs without approaching) and lighter, more mobile drone detection kits for rapid deployment teams.
Directed Energy Neutralisation (The EOD Laser)
The use of high-energy lasers (HEL) has moved from experimental to operational for EOD, particularly for clearing unexploded ordnance (UXO) from a safe distance. Cost-Effective Disposal: Rather than using expensive disruptor rounds or dangerous High Explosive counter-charges, laser systems can "burn off" the casing of a munition or low-order the explosive filler from hundreds of meters away. Drone Defence Integration: EOD teams are increasingly responsible for neutralizing "loitering munitions" (suicide drones). Laser systems allow them to shoot these down without expending physical ammunition, offering a "deep magazine" (limited only by power supply).
public World News
Conflict Zone: Ukraine
As of 2026, Ukraine is transitioning from emergency response to a more industrialized, digitized demining strategy.
Funding & Coalition: The Demining Capability Coalition confirmed it is allocating over €165 million in 2026 to supply Ukraine with heavy machinery, pickup trucks, and EOD suits.
Digital Planning: The Ukrainian government has officially switched to a "digital planning" model for 2026. This uses big data and geoinformation systems to prioritize land clearance—shifting focus from just agricultural lands to now include water bodies and forest areas, which were previously too difficult to tackle.
Domestic Leadership: There is a noted trend in 2026 of Ukrainian operators taking over leadership of demining operations from international NGOs, signaling a maturing of their national EOD capabilities.
Post Conflict Recovery: Gaza
Following the ceasefire that took effect in late 2025, the focus in early 2026 has been on the catastrophic scale of unexploded ordnance (UXO) contamination.
20-30 Year Timeline: EOD experts (including groups like Humanity & Inclusion) have assessed that clearing just the surface layer of UXO in Gaza will take 20 to 30 years. Deep subsurface clearance is expected to take generations.
Immediate Risks: The UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) has warned that casualties are rising as displaced families return to damaged areas. Current efforts are hampered by a lack of equipment; aid groups are negotiating for the import of supplies to "burn away" bombs rather than detonate them, to prevent the repurposing of explosive materials.
High-Risk Areas: Approximately 1,600 households in Gaza City are currently identified as living in areas with extreme UXO contamination, prompting urgent relocation efforts by humanitarian partners.
radar Recent UK EOD Incidents
January 2026
| Date | Location | UXO Discovered | Disposal Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 14 | Plymouth Sound | SC50 WWII German Bomb | Remotely detonated in situ following exclusion zone enforcement. |
| Jan 14 | Exmouth Marina | SC250 WWII German Bomb | Remotely detonated at Sea, after being towed out by the Navy Bomb Disposal Team.. |
| Jan 08 | Kent Marshes | Multiple Anti-Aircraft Shells | Secured and transported to Shoeburyness for controlled demolition. |
| Jan 02 | Sheffield Construction Site | 1,000lb "Hermann" Bomb | Precision fuze removal; casing rendered safe and removed for scrap. |
December 2025
| Date | Location | UXO Discovered | Disposal Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 22 | Great Yarmouth | Sea Mine (Type T) | Towed to open sea for high-order disposal by Navy/Regiment joint team. |
| Dec 15 | Bristol City Centre | Incendiary Device Cache | Hand-extracted under sandbag mitigation; cleared within 6 hours. |
| Dec 04 | Southampton Docks | Unidentified Ordnance | X-ray confirmed inert training round; removed for historical archive. |