SimSpace and Partners Test OT Cyber Resilience Against Iranian Threats in Tampa Exercise
Event summary
- SimSpace partnered with Cyber Florida and NUARI for the 2026 Jack Voltaic Tampa exercise, simulating cyberattacks on water infrastructure.
- The three-day exercise involved 100+ participants from government, utilities, and private sector, testing IT/OT readiness against Iranian threats.
- SimSpace's cyber simulation platform and NUARI's DECIDE® platform were used simultaneously for the first time in a live cyber range and tabletop exercise.
- Key findings included improved cross-functional collaboration and integrated incident response postures.
- SimSpace highlighted the need for validating AI and human operator collaboration in cyber defense.
The big picture
The exercise underscores the growing threat of nation-state cyberattacks on U.S. critical infrastructure, particularly from Iranian actors targeting water systems. As federal agencies ramp up warnings, the need for realistic cyber resilience testing is becoming a strategic imperative for utilities and public-sector organizations. SimSpace's role in providing a platform for such exercises positions it as a key player in the evolving cyber defense landscape, particularly as AI integration becomes more critical.
What we're watching
- AI Integration
- How SimSpace's AI Proving Grounds will affect the operationalization of AI in cyber defense.
- Regulatory Pressure
- Whether increased CISA and FBI warnings will accelerate adoption of cyber resilience exercises.
- Market Expansion
- The pace at which SimSpace can scale its platform to other critical infrastructure sectors.
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