Secretary of the Navy Applauds Gulf Coast Shipyard

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus at Northrop Grumman in Pascagoula

Former Mississippi Governor and newly appointed Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus paid a visit yesterday to the Gulf Coast to check in on one of the largest shipbuilders in the world. MPB’s Phoebe Judge reports.

“I’m glad to be home. I’m glad to be back in Mississippi, and I’m glad to be here at Northrop Grumman.”

Ray Mabus who served as Mississippi’s governor from 1988-1992 was appointed Secretary of the Navy by President Obama in May, and spent yesterday meeting shipbuilders and getting an up close view of the massive ships in various phases of construction soon to become part of the Naval fleet.

“These ships built here at Northrop Grumman and Pascagoula are going to be in the fleet for 30 to 40 years. They are going to project American power well into the 21st century.”

Established in 1938, Northrop Grumman is one of the leading providers of ships for the US Navy and has more than 11,000 employees in Mississippi. Secretary Mabus says his goal is to keep that industrial base in the state strong,

“Part of the way that you do that is by having competitive well run shipyards like a Northrop Grumman. You know I do have a special place in my heart for Mississippi, but I also understand what my job is and that’s to do the very best job for the Navy and Marine Corps, and I think that Mississippi has shown historically and is showing today that it can be a very important part of that.”

Mabus says even with a flat defense budget as a result of the economic downturn, he is still committed to adding to the Naval fleet. The Chief of Naval Operations has said the Navy should aim for a fleet of 313 ships that number stands at 285 right now. Which means it’s more than likely that Northrop Grumman and the shipbuilders of Pascagoula will have work for years to come.