The character of modern warfare is undergoing a fundamental transformation, driven by the proliferation of advanced technologies, the erosion of traditional battle boundaries, and the emergence of new domains of conflict. In this environment, victory no longer belongs to the force that can simply dominate a single physical space—land, sea, or air—but to the force that can synchronize effects across all domains simultaneously. Multi-domain operations (MDO) have become the doctrinal cornerstone for the U.S. military, requiring seamless integration of capabilities in land, air, sea, space, cyberspace, and the electromagnetic spectrum. Within this framework, the National Guard occupies a distinct and increasingly vital position. As both a state-based reserve component and a federal operational force, Guard units must prepare to fight across multiple domains in high-intensity conflict while also retaining their homeland response mission. This dual responsibility demands a rigorous, forward-looking preparation strategy that combines advanced training, cutting-edge technology, and deep inter-agency collaboration. Understanding how the Army National Guard and Air National Guard ready themselves for multi-domain operations offers critical insight into the future of America’s total force.

The Evolution of Modern Warfare and the Need for Multi-domain Operations

The concept of multi-domain operations emerged from the recognition that adversaries—particularly near-peer competitors such as China and Russia—have developed sophisticated anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities that challenge U.S. dominance in any single domain. The solution is not to compete domain by domain but to create temporary windows of advantage by combining effects across domains in ways that overwhelm an opponent’s decision-making and systems. For example, a cyber attack may degrade an enemy’s air defense radar network, opening a corridor for ground forces to advance under friendly air cover. This cross-domain synergy is the essence of MDO.

For the National Guard, adapting to this paradigm means moving beyond traditional stovepiped training. Guard units routinely operate alongside active-duty counterparts in exercises such as Northern Strike and Warfighter, where they practice synchronizing fires, intelligence, and logistics across domains. The 2022 release of the Army’s Field Manual 3-0 formalized MDO as the Army’s core operational concept, and the National Guard has been aligning its training objectives with this doctrine ever since. The demand for Guard participation in these operations is growing: nearly one-third of the Army’s maneuver forces reside in the Guard, and the Air National Guard provides roughly 40 percent of the Air Force’s combat power.

The National Guard’s Unique Role in Multi-domain Operations

The National Guard’s status as a dual-mission force—responding to governors in state active duty and to the President under federal mobilization—creates both opportunities and challenges for MDO preparation. On one hand, Guard units bring deep local knowledge, civilian-acquired technical skills, and established relationships with state and local agencies that can be leveraged for information operations and civil-military cooperation. On the other hand, the part-time nature of traditional drilling Guardsmen limits the time available for complex MDO training.

To address this, the Guard has embraced a "Total Force" approach, integrating fully with active-component units during collective training events and deploying as part of joint task forces. The Army National Guard’s 36th Infantry Division, for example, recently served as the lead headquarters for a multi-domain task force during a major combat exercise in Europe. The Air National Guard’s 177th Fighter Wing has pioneered data-link integration that allows its F-16s to share targeting information with Army ground units in real time, a capability essential for multi-domain operations. These examples illustrate how Guard units are not just participants but often architects of MDO innovation.

Core Preparation Strategies for Multi-domain Operations

Preparing National Guard units for MDO requires a deliberate cycle of training, technology integration, and inter-organizational collaboration. Each of these pillars is reinforced by the Guard’s unique access to civilian expertise and its deep roots in communities across all 50 states and four territories.

Advanced Training Exercises

Training is the bedrock of MDO readiness. The National Guard participates in a structured progression of exercises that increase in complexity from squad-level drills to corps-level simulations. Key events include:

  • Simulation-based Warfighter exercises – These computer-assisted command-post exercises immerse Guard staff officers in multi-domain scenarios where they must synchronize fires, maneuver, intelligence, and cyber effects under simulated enemy A2/AD conditions. The exercises are often conducted in partnership with active-duty divisions.
  • Live-fire joint exercises – Events like Northern Strike and Southern Strike bring together Guard ground, air, and cyber units to execute combined-arms live-fire operations that integrate electronic warfare, space-based communications, and unmanned aerial systems. In 2023, over 7,000 Guard personnel from 35 states participated in Northern Strike, making it one of the largest MDO-focused reserve component exercises.
  • Cyber and space tabletop exercises – Recognizing the criticality of the cyber and space domains, Guard units conduct specialized workshops where Soldiers and Airmen simulate defending satellite communications, countering adversary cyber attacks, and conducting offensive cyber operations in support of ground commanders.

These training events stress the ability to operate in degraded environments where GPS, satellite communications, and traditional command-and-control links are contested. For example, the Colorado Army National Guard recently conducted a "dark" exercise where units moved and fought using only low-probability-of-intercept radios and paper maps, simulating conditions after a space-based navigation attack.

Technology Integration

The National Guard has made significant investments in modernizing its communications, sensor, and weapon systems to operate effectively across domains. While Guard units often field older equipment than active-duty counterparts, they have been prioritized for certain upgrades relevant to MDO:

  • Integrated Tactical Network – The Army Guard is fielding the Integrated Tactical Network (ITN), a family of radios and networking systems that enable secure, resilient data sharing among ground vehicles, dismounted Soldiers, and higher echelons. ITN allows Guard maneuver units to access real-time intelligence from Air Force ISR assets and Navy sensor platforms.
  • Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) – The Air National Guard is a test bed for ABMS, the Air Force’s next-generation command-and-control network designed to fuse sensor data from all domains into a single operational picture. Guard units have participated in ABMS "on-ramp" exercises, proving the concept of passing target data from satellites directly to Guard A-10 and F-16 pilots.
  • Cyber defense kits – Each state National Guard has a Cyber Protection Team (CPT) equipped with portable cyber defense suites that can be deployed to protect both military networks and critical civilian infrastructure. These teams train on cross-domain cyber maneuvers, such as disrupting adversary command links while defending friendly networks.

Technology integration is not without friction. The Guard must balance modernization with equipment turnover cycles, and many units rely on contractor support to maintain advanced systems. Nonetheless, the Guard’s ability to tap into civilian tech talent—many Guardsmen work in IT, aerospace, and telecommunications—provides a unique advantage in identifying and adopting emerging technologies for MDO.

Collaboration with Active-Duty, Federal, and Allied Forces

No single service or component can conduct multi-domain operations alone. The National Guard has strengthened its interoperability through deliberate partnership programs:

  • State Partnership Program – This program pairs individual states with partner nations around the world. Guard units regularly train with foreign militaries, exchanging tactics for integrating cyber, space, and information operations. For example, the California National Guard has worked with Ukraine’s armed forces on electronic warfare and counter-UAS tactics, learning lessons applicable to MDO against peer adversaries.
  • Joint Task Force rotations – Guard division and wing headquarters frequently serve as joint task force (JTF) command elements during domestic and overseas operations. This experience in commanding multi-component forces (including active, reserve, and allied units) is directly transferable to MDO command.
  • Integration with U.S. Space Force and Cyber Command – The Guard has established liaison officer positions at U.S. Space Command and U.S. Cyber Command to ensure Guard priorities are represented in joint targeting and operations planning. Some Air Guard units have been aligned with Space Force delta units to train on space control missions.

Key Domains in Focus for the National Guard

While the land, air, and maritime domains remain essential, the National Guard is placing particular emphasis on three domains that are both high-leverage in MDO and aligned with the Guard’s unique capabilities: cyber, space, and information.

Cyber Domain

The National Guard fields approximately 40% of the U.S. military’s cyber forces, and many Guard cyber units are among the most experienced in the Department of Defense. Guard cyber personnel frequently support both overseas combat missions and domestic defense of critical infrastructure. Preparation for MDO in cyberspace includes:

  • Conducting offensive cyber operations as part of joint fires planning, such as disabling adversary air defense networks or corrupting logistics data.
  • Training on defensive cyber operations to protect friendly networks from intrusion during contested operations. Guard cyber teams practice defending against advanced persistent threats (APTs) in realistic range environments.
  • Integrating cyber effects into ground maneuver training—e.g., a brigade combat team may include cyber operators in its tactical operations center to coordinate cyber attacks that blind enemy surveillance.

The Army National Guard’s Cyber Brigade and the Air National Guard’s 176th Cyber Operations Group are leading efforts to ensure cyber capabilities are fully embedded in MDO training and execution. According to the National Guard Cyber Program, Guard cyber forces participated in over 40 joint exercises in 2023 alone.

Space Domain

Space has become a contested domain, and Guard units must prepare to operate without assured access to satellite-based navigation, communications, and intelligence. Key preparation areas include:

  • Space situational awareness – Air National Guard units are equipped with radars and optical sensors that track space objects. These units train to detect and characterize adversary space maneuvers that could threaten U.S. and allied satellites.
  • Satellite communications (SATCOM) resilience – Guard signal units train on alternative SATCOM protocols and backup communication links to maintain connectivity if primary satellites are jammed or destroyed.
  • Positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) assurance – Ground units conduct "GPS-denied" drills using inertial navigation, celestial navigation, and alternate PNT sources. The New Mexico National Guard has developed a mobile PNT assurance training package that is being adopted across the Army Guard.

The establishment of a Space National Guard has been debated, but regardless of organizational structure, Guard space professionals currently serve in units aligned with the U.S. Space Force, providing a ready reserve of space operators for multi-domain operations.

Information Domain

Information operations (IO) are critical to shaping the battlespace before, during, and after conflict. The National Guard’s close ties to local communities and media make it a natural leader in this domain. Preparation includes:

  • Psychological operations (PSYOP) – Guard psychological operations units train to produce tailored messages that can be disseminated via traditional and social media to influence adversary decision-making and civilian populations.
  • Military deception – Guard engineer and communication units practice creating decoys, spoofing enemy sensors, and disseminating misleading information to protect actual force dispositions.
  • Countering misinformation – In support of MDO, Guard units must be able to identify and counter adversary disinformation campaigns that target friendly forces or coalition partners. Civil affairs units, in particular, are trained to work with local populations to maintain narrative control.

During domestic operations—such as natural disaster response—Guard information teams have honed skills in rapid public information dissemination that are directly applicable to the information domain in combat.

Challenges in Multi-domain Integration for the National Guard

Despite significant progress, the National Guard faces several challenges in fully realizing MDO readiness. Understanding these obstacles is essential for policymakers and military leaders.

Interoperability and Standards

MDO demands that data, targeting information, and command overlays flow seamlessly between services and domains. However, the National Guard often operates on different equipment cycles than the active component, leading to interoperability gaps. For example, some Guard units still field older radios that cannot connect to the Army’s ITN backbone. Bridging these gaps requires additional investment in gateway systems and cross-domain solutions.

Personnel Tempo and Time Constraints

Traditional Guardsmen drill one weekend per month and two weeks per year—a schedule that makes it difficult to maintain proficiency in complex MDO skills, especially cyber and space operations that require constant practice. While full-time Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) personnel provide continuity, the majority of the force is part-time. Extended mobilizations for overseas deployments can disrupt home lives and civilian careers, potentially affecting retention in critical MDO specialties.

Funding and Resource Allocation

The National Guard budget must cover both federal combat readiness and state missions. MDO preparation—particularly acquiring advanced technology like satellite terminals and cyber training ranges—is expensive. Some states have been more aggressive in seeking grants and partnership funds to support MDO training, but a national-level strategy for equipping Guard units with MDO-specific gear remains a work in progress.

Cultural Shift

For decades, the Guard’s identity has been tied to traditional combat arms and homeland response. Transitioning to a mindset where a truck driver might need to understand electromagnetic spectrum management or a mechanic might assist with cyber defense requires a cultural shift. Leadership training programs increasingly emphasize MDO concepts, but it will take time for the entire force to internalize these new operational realities.

Opportunities and Future Directions

Despite challenges, the National Guard is well-positioned to become even more integral to multi-domain operations in the coming years. Several trends offer promising opportunities.

Leveraging Civilian Expertise

The Guard’s greatest asset in MDO is its personnel’s civilian skills. A single Guard unit might include network engineers, satellite technicians, data scientists, and public affairs professionals who bring cutting-edge knowledge directly into military operations. Programs like the SkillsBridge and the Civilian Military Training Partnership formalize ways to credential these skills for MDO tasks.

Innovation through State-level Experiments

States are increasingly using their own authority to experiment with MDO concepts. The California National Guard’s Cyber and Space Innovation Hub has conducted exercises testing commercial satellite imagery integration with state emergency operations, and those same techniques are being adapted for combat MDO. The decentralized nature of the Guard allows for rapid experimentation without the bureaucratic overhead of large acquisition programs.

MDO is not exclusively a combat concept. The ability to coordinate effects across cyber, information, and physical domains is equally valuable for homeland defense, including defense of critical infrastructure against cyber attacks, countering lethal drones, and responding to space weather events. The Guard’s dual mission means that MDO training for overseas combat directly enhances readiness for domestic crises, making it a cost-effective investment.

Deepening Allied Integration

Through the State Partnership Program and NATO exercises, Guard units are building trust and interoperability with key allies that will be essential in any major conflict. Future MDO will rely on coalition partners contributing domain-specific capabilities, and Guard units that have trained with those partners will be natural hubs for coalition integration.

Conclusion

The National Guard is no longer merely a strategic reserve for the active component; it is an operational force that must be ready to fight and win in multi-domain operations from day one of a conflict. Through advanced training exercises that stress contested environments, modernization of communications and sensor networks, and deep collaboration with active-duty, federal, and allied forces, Guard units are building the muscle memory required for MDO. The focus on cyber, space, and information domains leverages the Guard’s civilian expertise and positions it as a leader in these critical areas. While challenges of interoperability, funding, and personnel tempo remain, the National Guard’s adaptability and unique position within the total force make it indispensable for the future of multi-domain warfare. Continuous investment in these preparation strategies will ensure that Guardsmen are ready to protect the nation at home and abroad in an era where battlefields span the globe from sea to space.