DAF leaders spotlight training and simulation as force multipliers at I/ITSEC 2025

By Cassidy Mills, Staff Writer

 

January 7, 2026

 

As the Department of the Air Force confronts an increasingly complex and contested security environment, senior Air Force and Space Force leaders gathered on Dec. 2 at the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) to examine how training, simulation and education are evolving to meet the moment.

 

I/ITSEC is the world’s largest modeling, simulation and training (MS&T) event, held annually during the week immediately after Thanksgiving at the Orange County Convention Center. The conference brings together the global MS&T community for a full week of demonstrations, discussions and collaboration. Each year, the event draws thousands of MS&T professionals, including senior civilian and military leaders, C-suite industry executives and distinguished academic researchers from leading institutions.

 

The signature event, “Conversation on Training with DAF Leaders,” brought together leaders from across acquisition, strategy and mission readiness to discuss how the service is preparing Airmen and Guardians to prevail in future conflicts.

 

Moderated by William D. Dries Jr., SES, principal deputy director of Headquarters Air Force Studies & Analysis, the panel explored how the DAF is adapting its training enterprise to deliver readiness at speed and scale while balancing modernization and resource constraints.

 

Panelists included Lt. Gen. David H. Tabor, deputy chief of staff of plans and programs at Headquarters U.S. Air Force; Lt. Gen. Clark J. Quinn, commander of Air Education and Training Command; Thomas J. Lawhead, SES, director of operational capability requirements for the deputy chief of staff for strategy, integration and requirements; Brig. Gen. Matthew S. Cantore, deputy commander of Space Training and Readiness Command; and Michael Sheehy, SES, director of future operations (AF/A35).

 

Tabor highlighted the need to modernize the force for future threats while sustaining today’s readiness, emphasizing that decisions about funding, programming and prioritization directly affect the Air Force’s ability to train and equip forces effectively.

 

“Programming is where strategy meets reality,” Tabor said. “How we prioritize resources determines whether we can both modernize effectively and sustain the readiness the force depends on.”

 

From the training enterprise perspective, Quinn described how AETC is responsible for developing Airmen and Guardians from initial accession through advanced education, laying the foundation for readiness across the force.

 

“Everything we do in education and training has to tie back to readiness,” Quinn said. “If it doesn’t produce operational capability, then we have to reassess how we’re delivering that training.”

 

Quinn emphasized that realistic training — supported by simulation and synthetic environments — remains essential to preparing personnel for operational demands while accelerating training timelines.

 

“Simulation gives us the ability to train at a scale we simply can’t achieve otherwise,” Quinn said. “It helps us get Airmen and Guardians ready faster, expose them to more complex scenarios and do so without sacrificing quality.”

 

Lawhead connected training and simulation to broader force design and strategy. He explained how modeling, simulation and war-gaming inform decisions about future capabilities, force structure and operational concepts, ensuring training aligns with national defense priorities and emerging threats.

 

“By integrating simulation and war-gaming into force design, we can make more informed decisions about the capabilities and structure our Airmen will need to succeed,” Lawhead said. “It ensures that every dollar and every hour spent on training directly contributes to mission readiness and strategic advantage.”

 

Representing the Space Force, Cantore highlighted the unique challenges of preparing Guardians for a contested space domain. He emphasized the importance of simulation-enabled training, interoperability and integration across joint and allied forces to ensure space capabilities can support the broader Joint Force.

 

“Space operations don’t allow for a second chance,” Cantore said. “We have to train our Guardians in realistic, high-fidelity environments so that when they are called to act, our systems and our people perform effectively.”

 

Sheehy focused on operational test and training infrastructure, including the role of integrated simulation environments. He stressed the importance of open architectures and non-proprietary solutions to ensure training systems can evolve alongside operational platforms and remain relevant as threats and technologies change.

 

“Our training systems have to be as adaptable as the threats we face,” Sheehy said. “By using open, interoperable architectures, we can ensure that simulation and training evolve with our platforms and keep Airmen and Guardians mission-ready in a rapidly changing environment.”

 

Throughout the discussion, panelists emphasized the role of modeling and simulation (M&S) in maximizing efficiency, optimizing resource allocation and delivering more capable forces faster.

 

“Simulation allows us to train smarter, not just harder,” Sheehy said. “They let us accelerate readiness, make the most of our resources and prepare Airmen and Guardians for complex missions without overextending our forces.”

 

The discussion also highlighted the importance of collaboration with industry partners to advance next-generation training technologies and ensure the DAF’s training ecosystem keeps pace with operational demands.

 

As the Department of the Air Force navigates evolving challenges, the panel highlighted the importance of training and education in sustaining readiness. By emphasizing innovation, the DAF is working to ensure Airmen and Guardians are equipped to meet both current operational needs and future demands.