Mabus’ legacy & shipbuilding

The tenure of Navy Secretary Ray Mabus is coming to a close with the Obama Administration in January. Mabus, a former Democratic governor of Mississippi, began his SECNAV duties in 2009, and has been navigating his way through Republican waters on Capitol Hill ever since. In an interview with Politico about his legacy, Mabus firmly believes he will leave the sea service in better shape. Yet, he's still fighting to fend off attempts to intervene in Navy shipbuilding programs, including Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s order to cut back on long-term buys of the Littoral Combat Ship. (Source: Politico 09/09/16) Gulf Coast note: Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., builds the Independence class of two variants of LCS; Ingalls Shipbuilding of Pascagoula, Miss., builds multiple ships for the Navy and Coast Guard.