The U.S. Space Force is working toward finalizing requirements for the SWORD program—its primary distributed digital training environment—aimed at making unit-level training available across the entire force in 2026, according to Col. Corey Klopstein, head of the Program Executive Office for Operational Test and Training Infrastructure (PEO OTTI).
Over the next 10–12 months, Klopstein’s team will focus on refining requirements for SWORD, originally used by the 392nd Combat Training Squadron, with the goal of transforming it into a high-fidelity enterprise-wide training environment. The program trains guardians on space domain awareness, satellite control, electronic warfare, and orbital warfare capabilities.
Klopstein emphasized plans to increase accuracy, integrate more systems, migrate to cloud-based architecture, and elevate the program to the Special Access Program level to incorporate classified systems—allowing units to access it from any location.
The expansion push followed a successful demonstration during the large-scale Space Flag exercise, in which 380 guardians trained on the platform. Klopstein described such realistic digital training as essential for operational readiness in the evolving space domain.
He noted that scaling SWORD began by launching a Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) and awarding an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) contract, enabling rapid adoption of commercial technologies. The program has also been formally designated as a Software Acquisition Pathway (SWP) effort to accelerate development and integration.
Klopstein highlighted that this acquisition approach aligns with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s recent reform directives encouraging greater use of commercial vendors, CSOs, and software-focused pathways.
He concluded that the next phase will center on formalizing operational requirements to ensure the Space Force can “train guardians effectively, test systems accurately, and maintain space superiority.”
