170515-N-ZW825-371 SOUTH CHINA SEA (May 15, 2017) Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson is welcomed aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG 104) by Capt. David Bretz, commodore of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 31, during Sterett’s anchorage off the coast of Singapore. Sterett will join 26 other ships from 18 navies at the International Maritime Defense Exhibition 2017 (IMDEX-17) to promote dialogue, stability and security cooperation throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. Sterett is part of the Sterett-Dewey Surface Action Group and is the third deploying group operating under the command and control construct called 3rd Fleet Forward. U.S. 3rd Fleet operating forward offers additional options to the Pacific Fleet commander by leveraging the capabilities of 3rd and 7th Fleets. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Byron C. Linder/Released)