190708-N-EI808-046 SINGAPORE (July 8, 2019) Stephanie Syptak-Ramnath, chargé d'affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Singapore, observes the view from the commanding officer’s chair on the bridge of the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Montgomery (LCS 8) while in Singapore for a rotational deployment. Montgomery’s arrival in Singapore marks the fourth deployment of littoral combat ships to Southeast Asia. Fast, agile and networked surface combatants, LCS are optimized for operating near-shore environments. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt.j.g. Hazel Arceo/Released)