Five Navy ships now outfitted with augmented reality maintenance tech

Five U.S. Navy ships now have working Augmented Reality Maintenance Systems that allow technicians to remotely troubleshoot problems from a sailor’s point of view.

Within less than a week, the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division installed the systems, also known as ARMS, on the aircraft carrier Nimitz and the guided missile destroyers Curtis Wilbur, Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee, Gridley and Fitzgerald.

The new systems are designed to circumvent the costly need for subject matter experts, who are often based ashore, to physically travel to ships to provide tech support.

The Augmented Reality Maintenance Systems use mixed reality technology, such as smart glasses, to allow sailors to show subject matter experts shipboard system issues in real-time.

At the same time, sailors are able to access manuals, blueprints, 3D models and other tools while experts provide remote guidance. The ARMS team is reported to be looking at other options for mixed reality headsets.

“The biggest win in this case is that the sailor fixed the problem, not the external SME,” Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division Commanding Officer Capt. Tony Holmes said in a release. “ARMS capability goes to the heart of enabling sailor self-sufficiency, and keeping our warships in the fight.”

The milestone marks the first time the systems have been installed for operational use.

The move towards remote maintenance technology comes as the Pentagon continues its drive to cut spending and increasingly integrate digital systems into the Navy.

This month, the Navy tested a missile launch from an unmanned aerial vehicle, and has also announced a planned Future Unmanned Vehicle Industry Day to encourage private industry’s involvement in developing new unmanned surface vehicle technology.