Maryland National Guard Participates in Crossed Swords 25 with Estonian Partners

Why It Matters

The exercise showcases how AI‑enhanced cyber training strengthens NATO interoperability and prepares allies for increasingly complex, hybrid threats.

Key Takeaways

• 240 participants from 45 nations trained together.
• AI-assisted tactics simulated real national defense operations.
• Maryland-Estonia partnership deepened 30-year defense ties.
• Exercise covered strategic command to public‑private coordination.
• Skills sharpened unit readiness for sophisticated cyber attacks.

Pulse Analysis

Crossed Swords 25, hosted by NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, has become a cornerstone for alliance cyber readiness. By gathering experts from 45 nations, the exercise creates a realistic arena where strategic decision‑making meets cutting‑edge technology. Participants simulate full‑scale cyber conflicts, testing everything from command‑and‑control structures to legal frameworks, which helps NATO refine doctrine and share best practices across diverse military cultures.

For the Maryland National Guard, the 175th Cyberspace Operations Group stepped beyond traditional training, engaging directly with Estonian counterparts in AI‑driven cyber tools and information‑operations scenarios. The partnership leveraged Estonia’s pioneering cyber expertise, allowing Maryland airmen to practice rapid, coordinated responses with critical‑infrastructure owners. This hands‑on exposure not only elevated individual skill sets but also reinforced a three‑decade‑long State Partnership Program, demonstrating the tangible benefits of sustained bilateral cooperation.

Looking ahead, the lessons from Crossed Swords signal a shift toward integrated, multi‑domain defense strategies where cyber, kinetic, and informational elements converge. As adversaries adopt hybrid tactics, NATO’s ability to validate emerging technologies and test public‑private collaborations becomes essential. Continued investment in AI‑enhanced training and joint exercises will be critical for maintaining a credible deterrent posture and ensuring that alliance members can transition seamlessly from detection to decisive action in the digital battlespace.

Maryland National Guard participates in Crossed Swords 25 with Estonian partners

By Senior Airman Sarah Hoover · February 9, 2026

TALLINN, Estonia – The Maryland National Guard participated in Crossed Swords, a comprehensive cyber‑defense exercise, with their Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program Estonian partners at the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) last fall.

The exercise, held Oct. 27 through Nov. 7, 2025, hosted 240 participants from about 45 countries, including Airmen from the 175th Cyberspace Operations Group. Participants shared tactics and procedures to contribute towards a cohesive collective‑defense strategy.

CCDCOE’s Crossed Swords is an annual cyber‑warfare training exercise that centers on operational‑level military command elements and the enhancement of offensive and defensive cyber capabilities through simulated operations and crisis response. The exercise also focuses on advancing multi‑domain operational competencies, including information‑warfare operations, legal perspectives and cooperation with Special Operations Forces.

This year, participants focused on two cyber headquarters, simulating fictional nations for the scenario.

“The combination of strategic decision‑making, tactical AI‑assisted execution and immediate coordination with critical infrastructure owners created a drill that felt less like a training scenario and more like an actual national‑defense operation, something no previous exercise that we have participated in had ever achieved,” said Maryland Air National Guard Lt. Col. Bob DeLuca, flight commander for the 175th Cyberspace Operations Squadron.

The exercise focused on five objectives related to simulating the life cycle of a modern cyber conflict: strategic‑level command and control, tactical cyber operations, multi‑domain integration, public‑private partnership testing, and technology validation.

“Exercises like this continue to build upon and expand the partnership of over 30 years,” DeLuca said. “The Estonian Defense Force led the Command Headquarters and led many of the team‑leader positions as well as staffing many technical roles, while our Guardsmen were participants on their teams.”

Maryland Airmen, alongside their Estonian counterparts, had the chance to step outside their comfort zones by operating in two emerging domains: information operations and AI‑driven cyber tools.

“We have to adapt to the reality of today’s cyber threat landscape, where complex, multi‑domain operations and hybrid tactics are the norm. It has become clear that in cyberspace, we need to adopt a wartime mentality, including strong offensive cyber capabilities,” said Tõnis Saar, director of NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence.

This year, teams had the opportunity to adapt in stressful scenarios where their capabilities were tested, ultimately elevating NATO’s alliance’s abilities from initial cyber‑threat detection to critical action and preserving crucial online services and functions.

“This exercise provided a means for our members to measurably improve their leadership, planning, detection, assessment and response to sophisticated cyber‑attacks,” DeLuca said. “Participating in CrossedSwords 2025 sharpened our unit’s mission‑readiness on every level, and the team performed amazingly.”