The U.S. Space Force is advancing its Space Warfighter Operational Readiness Domain, known as SWORD, to ensure dominance in an increasingly competitive space environment. During a media roundtable held at Space Industry Days in Los Angeles, California, on March 15, 2024, Col. Corey Klopstein, program executive officer for Operational Test and Training Infrastructure, emphasized the program’s emphasis on realism and readiness.
SWORD serves as the Space Force’s primary synthetic training environment. This cloud-enabled digital simulation platform is designed to replicate various contested space operations, such as orbital dynamics, electronic warfare, cyber effects, and adversary tactics. The program enables guardians to engage in realistic training scenarios without the need for live, on-orbit assets or centralized facilities.
The platform has been showcased in extensive exercises like Space Flag, involving hundreds of guardians in immersive training experiences. As SWORD continues to evolve, it is being scaled for broader enterprise use. Klopstein noted the importance of ensuring SWORD provides the highest level of realism and adaptability.
“Our intent is to develop SWORD and make it as realistic as possible and increase the fidelity as we work closely with our users to understand what they need,” Klopstein stated during the discussion. “We aim to enhance our collaboration with contractors to boost the fidelity of SWORD.”
Achieving this realism requires ongoing validation. The digital models within the SWORD environment are regularly updated and refined by cross-referencing them with hardware-in-the-loop facilities, which integrate real components into simulated settings, and actual on-orbit assets. Klopstein explained, “It’s a constant back and forth in trying to increase the fidelity of your digital environment and make it as realistic as possible,” highlighting that synthetic data alone is insufficient.
Speed is a critical component of SWORD’s development. As adversary tactics evolve quickly, the Operational Test and Training Infrastructure is prioritizing the rapid integration of new threats into the platform. Klopstein pointed out the close coordination with intelligence elements and the National Space Intelligence Center to ensure timely updates to red threat emulations.
“We’re working closely with our S2 and the Field COM S2s, as well as NSIC, to get the latest information that we can and leverage that information to provide updates to any red threat emulations within SWORD,” he said. “Our goal is to ensure the greatest accuracy possible.”
These initiatives contribute to a long-term vision of providing enterprise-wide access to SWORD. The plan involves transitioning to a cloud-based infrastructure, allowing guardians to conduct realistic training from home stations instead of being confined to centralized facilities. Although the current implementations are site-specific, Klopstein described the aim as creating “backyard ranges” so guardians can “train from their home station, using the synthetic environment as the source of the truth.”
The SWORD program benefits from agile acquisition cycles lasting 10 to 12 months, facilitating the closure of near-term training gaps. Additionally, a fiscal 2027 cloud pathfinder is planned, as reported by Air & Space Forces Magazine and Breaking Defense. This strategic approach highlights the ongoing commitment of the U.S. Space Force to maintain its operational readiness and superiority in space.
