USS Ashland Completes Ship Wartime Repair and Maintenance Exercise in the Philippines

Hull Maintenance Technician 2nd Class Christian Deang, assigned to Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, welds a fan unit bracket aboard Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) as part of ship wartime repair and maintenance exercise (SWARMEX) in Cebu, Philippines, March 25, 2026. SWARMEX is designed to rehearse coordination and execution of ship damage repair from forward locations within the Indo-Pacific region, strengthening ties with the skilled workforce within allied and partner countries. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Maliq J. Martin)