The U.S. Navy’s USS Benfold (DDG-65), an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, conducted a Shipboard Wartime Repair and Maintenance Exercise (SWARM-EX) in Subic Bay, Philippines, in January to enhance fleet readiness during a port visit. The drill involved sailors connecting with the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command’s (NAVWAR) watch center for technical support and maintenance assistance.
This marked the third SWARM-EX in the region to integrate NAVWAR’s watch center, following exercises in Guam last fall and this spring. NAVWAR stated that the watch center operated 24/7 during the drills to monitor shipboard information systems, providing remote or on-site technical support to address vulnerabilities or threats in a controlled environment. “These exercises ensure we maintain situational awareness of fleet operations, particularly in key regions,” said Kristin Brimager, NAVWAR’s assistant director for wartime readiness.
The drills incorporated advanced technologies, including the newly introduced Augmented Reality Maintenance System (ARMS). ARMS allows sailors to use augmented reality glasses to share visual data with engineers and logistics personnel, improving repair efficiency. First deployed on USS Spruance (DDG-111) in February, ARMS is now operational across the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, with NAVWAR targeting full implementation this year.
The exercise underscores U.S. efforts to strengthen forward-based repair capabilities in the Indo-Pacific, particularly near the first island chain, amid growing Chinese naval presence. Subic Bay, once the largest U.S. naval base, has regained strategic importance due to renewed U.S.-Philippine defense cooperation in response to tensions in the South China Sea. The Subic Drydock Corporation, the only Philippine shipyard with a U.S. Navy master ship repair agreement, has serviced numerous Military Sealift Command ships and Littoral Combat Ships, including USS Savannah (LCS 28).
Earlier this year, suspected Chinese spies arrested in Subic Bay were found photographing U.S. Navy vessels, including USS Savannah, highlighting the region’s strategic sensitivity.
