Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, on a visit to Northrop Grumman’s Newport News shipyard yesterday, effectively said “Don’t worry over the quality of our submarines.”
After visiting the submarine building facility at Newport News—one of only two shipyards in the nation to build nuclear-powered submarines— Mabus said during a brief news conference: “I’m absolutely comfortable with the quality of the submarines that are being produced here…I’m comfortable with what Northrop Grumman has done in terms of making sure that we do go to sea with zero defects.”
There have been several problems relating to submarine construction at the shipyard in recent months, but Navy officials say the shipyard has identified the problems, reported them and has taken steps to correct them.
Almost equally significant and much in the news, in terms of Navy personnel and manpower womanpower, is the issue of whether women should serve on submarines.
Last Thursday, Mabus said in a statement to the Navy Times, “I believe women should have every opportunity to serve at sea, and that includes aboard submarines.”
While visiting Northrop Grumman’s shipyard, Mabus also said, in effect: “Don’t worry over women serving on submarines.”
This is exactly what he said:
There are a couple of issues to take into account, but (Chief of Naval Operations Gary Roughead) and I have been working on this and think that women ought to have full career choices for a range of careers in the Navy and that includes serving on submarines
Addressing the concern that submarine quarters and accommodations are even more cramped and restrictive than those on Navy ships, Mabus said that U.S. Navy submarines would not require significant design changes to accommodate women sailors.
While some officials have commented that the cost of reconfiguring subs to accommodate women could be prohibitive, Mabus said yesterday that the move would “absolutely not require a redesign…All other ships have women sailors on board, and they’re all doing great.”
According to Newport News’ Daily Press, “Neither Northrop Grumman nor its sub-building partner, General Dynamics Electric Boat, say they have been contacted by the Navy to design subs that would host men and women.”
Stay tuned.
