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Strong start for Mabus

“The acquisition process has to be gotten under control or we’re going to unilaterally disarm ourselves.”

That’s the position former Mississippi Gov. Ray Mabus — President Barack Obama’s nominee for Navy secretary — took when talking to lawmakers during an April 28 confirmation hearing.

It’s a good position to take.

Navy shipbuilding has always been expensive, but the issue of spiraling costs, schedule delays and doubts that the ships are worth buying will make this one of the most crucial issues Mabus will face if he gets confirmed.

The best example is the DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class destroyer program, which began as a 32-ship program before it shrunk to seven, then to three.

After years of touting its advanced capabilities and revolutionary designs — and after hundreds of millions spent on research and development — top Navy leaders pulled a swift about-face last year, explaining that the ship will be unable to shoot down advanced anti-ship missiles. But instead of killing the ship it says it no longer needs, the Navy — under severe pressure from lawmakers whose districts benefit from the program — is building three hulls under a plan to treat it as a technology bridge to the next-generation cruiser, CG(X).

Ending such political patronage is exactly the sort of overhaul that is needed.

Mabus also played up his concern for the fleet’s readiness. Responding to revelations of a bruising year of inspections in which five surface ships and one submarine were deemed “unfit,” first reported by Navy Times, Mabus told lawmakers that he would make fleet readiness a top priority.

As part of that process, Mabus should reverse the Navy’s decision to classify those inspection reports. After decades of not classifying the reports, the Navy began doing so last December, citing security concerns. Such a move may be justified in the rare case in which release of a ship’s material condition represents a legitimate security breach. Otherwise, the public good is best served with an upfront understanding of the condition of its Navy fleet.

Mabus has his focus on the right places. Let’s hope bold actions follow his bold words.