190708-N-FV739-050 CHANGI NAVAL BASE, Singapore (July 8, 2019) Sailors assigned to the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Montgomery (LCS 8) answer questions from local reporters during a ship tour aboard Montgomery. 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 Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Christopher A. Veloicaza/Released)