LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – For Col. Nkole Emmanuel Muyunda of the Zambia Air Force, Cyber Shield 2026 represented more than just an opportunity to strengthen his cybersecurity skills; it marked another step in the growing partnership between the North Carolina National Guard and the Zambian Defense Force through the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program, or SPP.
Cyber Shield provides participants with hands-on training in areas such as threat hunting, malware analysis, incident response, network defense and detection engineering. This allows partner nations to exchange knowledge while building lasting professional relationships.
As a first-time participant in Cyber Shield, Muyunda joined military personnel, government agencies and international partners to train in realistic cyber scenarios designed to strengthen collective readiness against evolving cyber threats. Cyber Shield is the Department of War’s largest unclassified cyber defense exercise.
"The experience has been both challenging and rewarding," Muyunda said. "Working alongside personnel from North Carolina and other participating teams has shown me the importance of cooperation, information sharing and interoperability in responding to cyber threats."
The SPP pairs state National Guards with partner nations to strengthen security cooperation, build military readiness and foster long-term relationships through recurring exchanges and joint training. The North Carolina National Guard and the Zambia Defence Force established their partnership in 2023, creating opportunities to collaborate across multiple mission areas, including cybersecurity.
The exercise comes at an important time for Zambia. As the country works to strengthen its cybersecurity capabilities, Cyber Shield provides an opportunity to gain practical experience and exchange knowledge with international partners.
For the North Carolina National Guard, the partnership is equally valuable. Warrant Officer 1 Gerrans Mei, assigned to the North Carolina Joint Force Headquarters, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, with the Defensive Cyber Operations Element, emphasized how the SPP allows both organizations to learn from one another while providing Zambia with hands-on experience in a realistic cyber environment.
"We're able to learn from them, and they're able to learn from us,” Mei said. “They're learning a lot of the processes, procedures and techniques. It's real-world training that goes beyond what they would receive in school or in classes.”
Beyond the technical training, the partnership with North Carolina has fostered meaningful personal and professional connections. Although Zambia and the United States may operate in different environments, both nations face many similar cybersecurity challenges.
During the exercise, participants shared stories about their cultures and military experiences. Those conversations also provided an opportunity to discuss the unique challenges each nation faces.
“These conversations have helped us understand one another beyond the technical exercise,” Muyunda said. “Partnerships become stronger when people share their personal and professional experiences openly.”
As he prepares to return home, Muyunda said he hopes to apply the cybersecurity knowledge gained during Cyber Shield while continuing to strengthen the partnership between the Zambia Defense Force and the North Carolina National Guard. The experience, he said, has provided valuable professional development and lasting relationships that extend beyond the classroom.