LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Cyber threats do not stop at national borders, and neither does the collaboration needed to defend against them. That spirit of cooperation was on full display during International Partners Day on July 21 at Cyber Shield 2026, held at the Professional Education Center.
International Partners Day celebrates the partnerships that bring nations together to share knowledge, exchange best practices, and strengthen the professional relationships that extend far beyond the exercise itself. Those connections are at the heart of Cyber Shield, the Department of War's largest and longest-running unclassified cyber defense exercise.
This year's exercise brought together nearly 1,100 participants from 44 U.S. states and territories and 23 partner nations to train side by side in realistic cyber defense scenarios. By working together to solve complex challenges, participants not only strengthen their technical skills but also build trust and interoperability before responding to real-world incidents.
"Cybersecurity has no borders,” said Capt. Gonçalo Atanásio of the Portuguese Armed Forces. “We need to learn from each other."
That idea is reflected throughout Cyber Shield, where international participants are embedded with U.S. teams to tackle cyber challenges together. Training in a collaborative environment allows participants to exchange ideas, learn diverse approaches to cyber defense, and develop professional relationships that can prove invaluable in future cyber incidents.
Since its establishment in 2013, Cyber Shield has continued to expand its international participation. As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, the exercise provides an opportunity for partner nations to strengthen trust and interoperability before responding to real-world incidents.
North Carolina National Guardsman Lt. Col. Seth Barun, officer in charge of Cyber Shield 2026, highlighted that the exercise is designed not only to strengthen technical skills but also to foster partnerships that participants can take back to their organizations and countries.
"Cyber Shield is a defensive-focused exercise that allows everybody involved to learn something and benefit," Barun said.