Photo By Staff Sgt. Alexandria King | Portuguese Armed Forces 1st Sgt. Samuel Patricio conducts real-world cyber scenario...... read more read more
Little Rock, Ark. – After becoming Illinois’ newest state partner on Jan. 12, 2026, Portugal dove into Cyber Shield 2026 and collaborated alongside Illinois military guardsmen to support cyber defense capabilities at the Professional Education Center (PEC).
The State Partnership Program, led by the National Guard, aims to enhance and reinforce the security cooperation objectives of the U.S. combatant commands. These relationships between U.S. states and countries strengthen military capabilities through exchanges of knowledge, opportunities, and security.
“This partnership, it's very good for us,” said Capt. Gonçalo Atanásio, Portuguese Armed Forces, Cyber Command. “We are liking this exercise very much. We are learning a lot…It's important for us because, if we go into a state of emergency, like COVID for example, [we] need to take care of critical infrastructure. So, this is a big improvement for us, and we are very happy to be here.”
Cyber Shield is the Department of Defense’s largest annual unclassified cyber exercise. This year’s event, Cyber Shield 2026, hosted more than 1,000 participants from across the globe and embodies a key priority of the U.S. military: teamwork and partnership.
“Immediately, [Portugal was] interested in coming here to support us in our Cyber Shield exercise,” said Capt. Aliaksei Makarau, cyber warfare officer, 176th Cyber Protection Team, Illinois Army National Guard.
Working side by side to strengthen cyber defense strategies, the Portuguese Armed Forces, Illinois Army National Guard, and Illinois Air National Guard have demonstrated the significance of state partnerships.
“Each participant has been very helpful, adjusting and learning, to make sure that we succeed in this exercise, learn something useful, learn how to be efficient and effective, and take something back with us to share with our counterparts,” Makarau said.
For many members, working with different countries during Cyber Shield offers a new, unique perspective on cyber operations and develops new skills within the field.
“[Cyber Shield has] shown me what cyber is about,” said Staff Sgt. Piotr Iwaszek, radio frequencies operator, 183d Communications Squadron, ILNG.
Iwaszek further explains that he has continued to grow by learning new skills from our state partners. Specifically, he has acquired new techniques for reinforcing network systems and mitigating cyber vulnerabilities.
“I think what I would bring back to my country is how you structure yourselves team-wise,” Atanásio said. “We have never participated in any cyber exercise with this dimension outside of the NATO context, so it's a different approach. We are learning with Captain Makarau about how he would structure the team to make this work and how to be successful in a cyber response incident.”
The success of Cyber Shield 2026 is measured not only by the technical capabilities demonstrated, but also by the collaboration among different teams and countries throughout the exercise. As cyber threats continue to evolve, the teamwork between military personnel, state partners, and allied nations remains critical to mission success.
By training together at Cyber Shield 2026, participants emphasize the unified commitment to readiness, resilience, and security. (Story by U.S. Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Alexandria King)
| Date Taken: | 07.21.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.04.2026 08:30 |
| Story ID: | 571353 |
| Location: | LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 44 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, ILNG Collaborates with New State Partners during Cyber Shield 2026, by SSgt Alexandria King, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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