FBI, Military, and Nuclear Experts Conduct Major Nuclear Forensics Training Exercise in Colorado

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — FBI personnel, military units, and federal nuclear experts participated in Exercise Prominent Hunt 2026 from June 8–12, conducting a large-scale training operation designed to prepare the United States for the investigation and attribution of a nuclear detonation.

Exercise Prominent Hunt is an annual interagency training event that has been conducted since 2012. The exercise focuses on the mission of the National Technical Nuclear Forensics (NTNF) Ground Collection Task Force, a specialized federal team responsible for collecting and preserving nuclear debris and radiological evidence following a nuclear incident.

According to the FBI, the bureau is the only federal agency with both the jurisdiction and investigative authority to lead criminal investigations involving nuclear incidents within the United States. Evidence collected during such operations could ultimately support intelligence assessments, attribution efforts, and criminal prosecutions.

The NTNF Ground Collection Task Force is composed of personnel from the FBI, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The task force is responsible for entering affected areas, collecting nuclear debris samples, preserving evidence, and ensuring materials are delivered to national laboratories for scientific analysis.

“Exercises like Prominent Hunt are crucial for the FBI and our partners: To be prepared to respond to a threat, we must practice our response together,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski. “These trainings help us identify the gaps, and they help us work out the kinks. They allow us to understand the resources and processes each of us as stakeholders brings to the table. And ultimately, they help us work better together to defend the homeland if and when there is a nuclear incident.”

The exercise brought together Soldiers from the U.S. Army’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command based at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, along with Airmen from the Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida.

Additional participating organizations included the FBI Laboratory, the FBI Technical Hazards Response Unit, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), the Office of Nuclear Forensics, and the Office of Counterterrorism and Counterproliferation.

During the training scenario, task force members conducted simulated collection operations involving radioactive fallout samples. Teams practiced locating, documenting, collecting, packaging, and transferring evidence under conditions designed to mirror those that could exist following a nuclear detonation.

Nuclear forensics plays a critical role in national security by helping scientists and investigators determine the origin, composition, and potential source of nuclear material used in an attack. Analysts can examine isotopic signatures, material characteristics, and other forensic indicators to help identify where nuclear material originated and how it was manufactured.

Federal officials have long viewed nuclear attribution capabilities as a deterrent against state sponsors, terrorist organizations, and other non-state actors that might seek to acquire or use nuclear or radiological weapons. The ability to identify responsible parties increases the likelihood that governments or organizations involved in facilitating a nuclear attack can be held accountable.

The annual exercise serves as both a readiness assessment and a coordination effort, ensuring that law enforcement, military, scientific, and emergency response agencies can operate together effectively during one of the most complex and consequential incident responses imaginable.

Officials said continued training and interagency cooperation remain essential components of the nation’s strategy to prevent, investigate, and respond to nuclear threats while supporting the FBI’s mission to defend the homeland and protect the American people.

🔥 NOW AVAILABLE! 🔥

‎👉 Eclipsera – Apple Music

Sponsored • TRJ Ads
Inquiries: contact@therealistjuggernaut.com

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE