NATO’s Crossed Swords Exercise Adds AI Agents to Cyber Operations Training
Summary
Crossed Swords 2026 brings more than 250 participants from over 40 countries to train in cyber operations coordinated with kinetic and special operations. A new track lets participants build, deploy and assess AI agents.
Key points
- The NATO CCDCOE launched Crossed Swords 2026 in Tallinn, with its execution phase scheduled through Friday.
- More than 250 participants from over 40 countries are training to coordinate cyber operations with kinetic and special operations.
- A new track has participants build, deploy and assess AI agents, and operate alongside them.
- The exercise uses locally hosted AI and, for the first time, OpenAI’s Daybreak cyber defense offering.
- More than 20 industry, academic and NGO organizations support the exercise, which incorporates critical infrastructure protection into planning.
Article Details
- Event Type
- International cyber operations training exercise integrating AI agents into offensive and defensive operations.
- Impact
- More than 250 participants from over 40 countries are training to coordinate cyber operations with kinetic and special operations activity. A new AI-agent track has participants build, deploy, and assess agents; the exercise uses locally hosted AI and OpenAI’s Daybreak. The exercise also incorporates civilian partners and critical infrastructure protection. No real-world cyber incident or operational harm is reported.
People
Vendors
BitdefenderAmong them are Bitdefender, ESET, Elastic, Mandiant, OpenAI, Stamus Networks, TryHackMe, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).ElasticAmong them are Bitdefender, ESET, Elastic, Mandiant, OpenAI, Stamus Networks, TryHackMe, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).ESETAmong them are Bitdefender, ESET, Elastic, Mandiant, OpenAI, Stamus Networks, TryHackMe, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).MandiantAmong them are Bitdefender, ESET, Elastic, Mandiant, OpenAI, Stamus Networks, TryHackMe, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).OpenAIThe exercise environment runs on locally hosted AI and, in a first for Crossed Swords, also uses OpenAI’s Daybreak cyber defense offering.Stamus NetworksAmong them are Bitdefender, ESET, Elastic, Mandiant, OpenAI, Stamus Networks, TryHackMe, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).TryHackMeAmong them are Bitdefender, ESET, Elastic, Mandiant, OpenAI, Stamus Networks, TryHackMe, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).