A portable cyber training system developed by the Massachusetts Air National Guard is reshaping how airmen prepare for modern threats.

The device fits in a backpack and can be used anywhere, turning training into a field activity rather than a trip to a lab. Known as ACTE, the Agile Cyber Training Environment was designed by Senior Master Sgt. Taylor Gow to let airmen conduct cyber warfare training on the go.

It is portable, affordable to produce and supports a wide array of training simulations, according to the Air National Guard.

Gow used the system to test defensive and offensive cyber tactics alongside Army, Air Force and law enforcement personnel in training with the Massachusetts Cyber Incident Response Team. The system even uses photogrammetry to process images taken by drones.

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Gow noted that traditional cyber ranges and lab environments require significant infrastructure, formal approval processes and/or enterprise connectivity.

This creates delays and limits how quickly we can innovate or train on emerging threats, Gow said in a statement. The ACTE was designed by an Airman, for Airmen, Gow said.

The comment underscores a frontline focus on improving training at the unit level. He emphasized that the platform was designed to be accessible at the squadron level and that it can broaden training hours because it is easily deployable. “This platform is intended to provide an environment to test, train and develop at the squadron level.

I hope that, regardless of the outcome, the 102nd IW will recognize the critical gaps the ACTE fills,” Gow said. The new system builds on the Massachusetts National Guard’s cyber warfare capabilities.

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Last year, guardsmen from Massachusetts deployed to Paraguay and Israel to take part in joint cyber training exercises with international allies.

The ACTE’s photogrammetry capability lets operators process images captured by drones on the move. That combination opens the door to more realistic, time sensitive training scenarios.

Supporters of President Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth would argue this is exactly the sort of modernization the administration has pushed to strengthen readiness. They see portable, field ready tools as essential to keeping America ahead of adversaries who count on lagging bureaucracy.

Under this philosophy, field ready tools and rapid testing shrink the time from concept to capability, ensuring American forces deter with speed and precision. The ACTE example shows how a portable solution can scale across services and missions.

As conservatives emphasize practical results, the Massachusetts pilot speaks to a broader conviction that government investments should empower troops on the ground rather than bureaucracy.

It also demonstrates that great ideas can come from the ranks, not only from the beltway.

The ACTE model aligns with a focus on domestic innovation and streamlined testing that Trump and Hegseth champion.

Field tested capabilities like ACTE will help keep the United States competitive in a dangerous cyber landscape.

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