Contact Stephen Johnson

Areas of expertise

  • CBRN Focus Areas
  • Computing, Simulation & Modelling
  • Counter-IED
  • Defence Systems Engineering
  • Defence Training Analysis
  • Systems Engineering

Background

Steve was commissioned in to the British Army serving with 33 EOD Regiment (Royal Engineers) on a Short Service Limited Commission before a full career with the Royal Tank Regiment and Joint CBRN Regiment. This included service in Northern Ireland, Iraq, Falkland Islands, Belize, Canada and Germany. He continues to serve in the reserves as a technical officer.

He left regular military service to join the Foreign and Commonwealth Office spending time in London and the Middle East (he is a fluent Arabic speaker). He then worked in Security and Defence consultancy at System Consultant Services Ltd before being head hunted by Thales UK to work on CBRN detection systems. He developed a new type of mobile sensing vehicle (CAS-I) and assessed innovations in detection systems including bees, Deep UV and novel CZT structures for radiation sensing.

Steve spent 2 years working for the leading CBRNE journal, CBRNe World, as deputy editor and head of consulting. He built an explosive detection test house from scratch, co-authored two books on CBRN technologies and had incredible access to CBRNE specialists around the world as he interviewed, visited or helped develop workshops for them. Most recently he resigned as Deputy Editor, taking a position as News editor.

Following developments within his research on the impact of terrorism attacks he was recruited to Intelligence Management Services Ltd where he was Director of Consulting and worked with most of the major players in insurance as well as supporting work on intelligence analysis training and software.

Current activities

Stephen Johnson was the Course Director for the MSc in Forensic Explosive and Explosion Investigation, which explores other hazardous incidents e.g. CBRN and Fire. He actively works with Police, Fire, OGDs and International Organisations on themes of terrorism, CBRNE, intelligence and forensic science. This has included the FCO, ICRC, London Fire Brigade, SO15 and the International Institute of Criminal Investigation. He has taught on or delivered the following courses:

Hazardous Forensics

Forensic Intelligence and Exploitation

Forensic Investigation of Explosives and Explosive Devices

Fire and Explosion Investigation

Counter IED Capability

Royal Engineer Force Protection Course

Terrorism Risk Management and Mitigation

He regularly lectures on Police CBRN courses around the UK, Imperial College London (On explosive devices), University of Rome Tor Vergata and previously at Georgetown University.

Steve's research investigates the exploitation of forensic evidence for intelligence purposes and ranges from CBRNE detection through to Open Source Intelligence. He has supported research with a wide range of British and American and International Universities. On CBRN he worked with Sussex, Bath and LSE on CBRN investigations in Syria. A significant phase of research was funded by Pool Re (The Government Terrorism Re-Insurance Pool), on modelling the impact and forecast of terrorism attacks.

Steve serves on a wide range of working groups, panels and advisory boards. He has provided comment for the media on CBRNE and terrorism.

He has spent the last 2 years on a full time posting as the SO2 Training Policy (C-CBRN) heading Defence Training Policy for CBRN defence. Since Oct 2021 He was appointed Lt Col, SO1 C-CBRN for the Land Warfare Centre, leading on 'WarDev' and support to 'CapDev' for CBRN Defence.

Clients

Ministry of Defence

Home Office

International Committee of the Red Cross

European Defence Agency

European Commission Directorate Generals (Home Affairs, Justice, Enterprise)

Thales

Smiths Detection

Aon Benfield

Towers Watson

JLT Group

Niteworks

BBC

Cardiff university

Georgetown university

Aegis

Pool Re

ICRC

Interpol

Publications

Articles In Journals