MARINETTE, WI -- It's not every day that the U.S. Navy Secretary visits your hometown, but when something as significant as a littoral combat ship is being built for the Navy right in your backyard, like in Marinette, Wisconsin, it doesn't come as a surprise.

U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus recently visited the Marinette Marine shipyard to meet the contracted makers of 10 littoral combat ships--shallow water cruisers that will protect our shorelines.

"We're going to keep you folks busy for a little while!"  Those words spoken by U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus on Friday were music to shipbuilders' ears.

In a tight economy, Marinette Marine is moving full steam ahead.  They're contracted to build 10 littoral combat ships for the U.S. Navy, and they already have the funding to build the first two in the agreement.
   
"It's a good deal for the Navy, it's a good deal for Marinette, and it's a good deal for the United States of America," said Mabus.

U.S. Senator Carl Levin accompanied Mabus to the shipyard and showed pride in the workers.  Many are Michigan residents who live just over the state border from Marinette, in Menominee, Michigan.

"We need jobs so obviously anything which produces jobs is sort of "two fors" for us as we would say," said Levin.  And as construction sails on, Marinette Marine will soon be looking to hire.

"We'll start growing at a rate of approximately 40 employees per month in the August to September time frame," said Marinette Marine Co.'s President, Richard McCreary.

The ships are in such demand because Mabus says they're projected to be the backbone of the Navy in the coming decades.  The first of its kind seized almost three tons of cocaine in the Caribbean in its first three weeks.

"It was faster than any drug boat," Mabus said.  "It gave our commander down there incredible flexibility."

But he said the speedy ship wouldn't be possible without the shipbuilders in Wisconsin and Michigan, who he was proud to meet.  He was also proud to name the newest ships in honor of the workers after big cities in their home states:  the U.S.S. Milwaukee and the U.S.S. Detroit.

"Oh, this is the great part of the job is coming here, seeing the people that actually build the ships, seeing the ship, and I'm very happy to be here," Mabus added.

Mabus has high hopes for the littoral combat ships built in Marinette.  He projects their success in the U.S. will attract the attention of our allies, who will also want to invest in them.