MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. — In the dynamic cyber age, the California Air Guard’s 163rd Attack Wing equips Airmen with skills and knowledge to adapt to emerging cyber threats.
This cultivation of resilience and readiness encompasses technical proficiency, strategic thinking and proactive defense against evolving digital challenges.
The 163rd Communications Flight prepared for the California National Guard’s Exercise Cyber Dawn in June by engaging in digital disaster scenarios through Nyx Cyber Defense engagement. The team responded to a complex threat that mimicked real-world tactics used by adversaries, including malicious email attachments, data exfiltration tools and attempts to gain elevated system access.
Using the Wing’s new cyber defense training facility, communications Airmen and a member of the California State Guard tested their knowledge by executing a hands-on cybersecurity exercise through a third-party training platform, simulating a realistic phishing attack.
“In today’s contested and congested cyber domain, we can’t afford to wait for perfect conditions or top-down directives,” said Capt. Shawn Ripley, director of operations for the 163rd communications flight. “Recognizing the critical need for every Airman in cyber to be fluent in defense operations, our unit took the initiative to stand up a Cyber Defense Training Facility, built from the ground up with what we had on hand. No extra funding. No surge in manpower - just a team of committed professionals who understand that mission readiness begins with technical proficiency. This facility is more than just a lab; it’s a statement that we’re leaning forward to train for the fight now, not waiting for it to arrive.”
During the exercise, team members identified the threat, isolated the affected system, blocked malicious files and network traffic, and applied security protocols to prevent further compromise. The training improved the team’s ability to detect, disrupt and defend against cyber threats while reinforcing communication, teamwork and critical decision-making under pressure.
“Defending the network is something we are not formally trained in,” said Master Sgt. Andrew Lower, 163rd cyber security superintendent. “These specialized exercises prepare us for what it’s really like. They are not about winning; they’re about learning how to lose less. We must be right 100% of the time. Our adversary only has to be right once to infiltrate and compromise the network. We need to understand what that failure looks like so that when it happens, we’re ready to respond and win.”
These exercises stem from preparations for Exercise Cyber Dawn, aimed at fortifying national, state and local cybersecurity. The California National Guard hosts Cyber Dawn with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, the California Cybersecurity Integration Center and other critical infrastructure partners.
The 163rd Attack Wing’s dedication to the Ready Force is a strategic imperative, achieved through a sustained commitment to comprehensive training, cohesive team building and focused professional development. Exercises such as this underscore the unit’s commitment to homeland defense.