Singapore Navy Participates in 2026 ASEAN Maritime Exercises

Commanding Officer of RSS Justice, Lieutenant-Colonel Arens Ong, calling on the Commander of the Philippine Fleet, Commodore Raul A. Regis, alongside representatives from ASEAN Navies and the Indian Navy.

AIME Participants at the Operations Synchronisation Planning Session.

RSN personnel taking part in a sailpast at sea to conclude both the ADMM-Plus EWG-MS JCA and the AIME.

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) participated in the 2nd ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME) from 28 September to 2 October 2026, and the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) Experts’ Working Group on Maritime Security (EWG-MS) Joint Cooperative Activity (JCA) from 21 to 25 September 2026. 

The 2nd AIME was co-hosted by the Philippines and India and involved the navies of ASEAN Member States and India. The JCA was co-hosted by the Philippines and Japan under their co-chairmanship of the ADMM-Plus EWG-MS from 2024 to 2027 and involved the ADMM-Plus Navies. Both exercises were conducted in the waters off Subic Bay, the Philippines. The RSN participated in both exercises with its Independence-class Littoral Mission Vessel RSS Justice, alongside other ships, aircraft, and personnel from other participating countries. 

As part of the 2nd AIME, RSN personnel participated in professional exchanges in areas such as Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations. During the sea phase, RSS Justice and other participating ships conducted various serials including helicopter cross-deck landings, as well as communication and manoeuvring exercises. 

The 2nd AIME also featured the first-time usage of the Singapore Information Fusion Centre (IFC) Real-Time Information Sharing System (IRIS) 2.0, a web-based system designed for maritime security collaboration. Participating vessels tracked the movement of simulated vessels of interest, cued by alerts from the ASEAN International Liaison Officers attached to the IFC. An IFC representative also shared with participants the IFC’s experience in maritime domain awareness. Reflecting on the conduct of the exercise, Head Exercises, IFC, Major Beh Wei Siang said, “The 2nd AIME provided a valuable opportunity for regional navies and the IFC to strengthen mutual confidence and interoperability in maritime security. It also marked an important operational milestone for the IFC, as participating navies used IRIS 2.0 at sea for the first time to share information and coordinate in real time to achieve mission objectives.”

As part of the JCA, personnel engaged in Subject Matter Experts’ Exchanges on issues such as confidence-building measures to reduce the risk of miscalculation, and conducted serials such as maritime search and rescue, casualty evacuation, and maritime security drills. Commanding Officer of RSS Justice, Lieutenant-Colonel Arens Ong, highlighted the importance of the JCA in enhancing practical cooperation among the ADMM-Plus Navies. He said, "The JCA brings our navies together to collaborate on a wide range of issues relevant to maritime security in today’s world. Through the JCA, we mark a significant milestone for the ADMM-Plus EWG-MS in facilitating practical cooperation among our navies to ensure safe, secure and open seas for all. More importantly, the JCA brings our navies together which fosters greater mutual understanding and strengthens confidence and trust among ADMM-Plus nations."

Both the AIME and JCA are part of regular defence exchanges involving the navies of ASEAN Member States and ASEAN’s external partners, which aim to strengthen practical cooperation and facilitate dialogue among militaries. Such interactions contribute to confidence-building and the promotion of stable military-to-military relations to enhance regional peace and stability.