Homeland Security and Defence

Introduction 

Homeland security and defence encompasses a wide range of contemporary challenges including extremism, terrorism, organised crime, threats to public health, disaster management, sabotage, cyber-attacks on Critical National Infrastructure and supply-chain resilience. Addressing these complex and often interconnected issues requires close collaboration between central, regional and local government, the local, national and international security apparatus, emergency services, armed forces, industry partners, civic society, and academia. 

As part of the Exeter Defence, Security, and Resilience Network, researchers across the university contribute to this national and international effort through the production of evidence-based, data-driven research and operational partnership work, developing understanding of and solutions to current and future homeland security and defence concerns. 

Research areas 

Threat and risk analysis

Using advanced data science and analytics to identify emerging risks and inform strategic decision making, including: 

• forecasting extremist or criminal threats
• analysing vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure
• modelling complex crisis scenarios  

Evidence-based policing and security policy

We support security, military and emergency services practitioners and policymakers at local, regional and national levels through: 

• evaluating operational strategies
• developing data-driven policy recommendations
• analysing governance and resilience frameworks 

Operational and technological innovation

Researchers in the University’s Centre for Computational Social Sciences (C2S2), Forensic Investigation Research Group (FIRG) and the Defence, Security and Resilience Network (DSR) work with frontline responders to: 

• develop analytical tools and technological solutions to assist operations
• enhance service capabilities through the creation of bespoke training courses and practice papers 

Home defence and resilience

The UK Strategic Defence Review (2025) highlighted the growing importance of Home Defence and societal preparedness. Our experts are shaping national awareness and understanding through: 

• cross-sector engagement with Local Resilience Forums, emergency services and central, regional and local government
• being the first to provide a range of cross-domain training programmes to support decision-making, industry engagement and threat assessments amongst senior leaders and practitioners. These programmes combine strategic context, conceptual framing, and applied learning, using scenario-based methods, expert inputs and facilitated discussion
• evaluating whole-society community and organisational preparedness and resilience capacities
• developing strategies for effective civil-military integration

Partnerships 

We collaborate with a diverse network of external partners who bring essential operational experience and strategic perspectives to our homeland security and defence work. These valued partners include: 

• UK Cabinet Office
• UK Ministry of Defence
• UK Home Office
• National Crime Agency
• Regional police forces
• Fire and rescue services
• NHS
• Local authorities
• Local Resilience Forums
• Parliament
• Europol
• Forensic Response UK
• Industry including Babcock International Group 

Recent research 

https://www.babcockinternational.com/who-we-are/lifetime-engineering/the-next-line-of-defence-unlocking-sme-potential-in-uk-defence-from-policy-to-practice/ 

https://news.exeter.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CPUDS-Making-Sense-of-Home-Defence.pdf 

Digital Radiography in Forensic Investigations of Fire-Damaged Electrical Equipment

By combining academic expertise with real-world experience and data-led insights, we are driving innovation and progress across homeland security and defence, strengthening whole-society resilience, and protecting communities from harm.