Welcome to Part 1 of our regular bi-monthly summary of recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports and primers on a range of defense-, weapon system, acquisition, pandemic-, and supply chain management-related topics. Several recent issuances of potential interest to the defense acquisition workforce community include:

• Potential Military Roles for Supersonic Transports, August 13, 2021
• ​Joint All-Domain Command and Control: Background and Issues for Congress, August 12, 2021
• Defense Primer: Department of the Navy, August 11, 2021
• Navy Constellation (FFG-62) Class Frigate Program: Background and Issues for Congress, August 10, 2021
• Navy Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) Program: Background and Issues for Congress, August 10, 2021
• Navy Next-Generation Attack Submarine (SSN[X]) Program: Background and Issues for Congress, August 10, 2021
• Overview of Department of Defense Use of the Electromagnetic Spectrum, August 10, 2021
• Space as a Warfighting Domain: Issues for Congress, August 10, 2021
• COVID-19: Potential Implications for International Security Environment—Overview of Issues and Further Reading for Congress, August 05, 2021
• China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities—Background and Issues for Congress, August 03, 2021
• Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress, August 03, 2021
• Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress, August 02, 2021
• Navy DDG(X) Next-Generation Destroyer Program: Background and Issues for Congress, August 02, 2021
• Navy John Lewis (TAO-205) Class Oiler Shipbuilding Program: Background and Issues for Congress, August 02, 2021
• Navy Large Unmanned Surface and Undersea Vehicles: Background and Issues for Congress, August 02, 2021
• Navy Lasers, Railgun, and Gun-Launched Guided Projectile: Background and Issues for Congress, August 02, 2021
• Navy LPD-17 Flight II and LHA Amphibious Ship Programs: Background and Issues for Congress, August 02, 2021
• Navy Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) Program: Background and Issues for Congress, August 02, 2021

As I regularly remind readers when I share information about these reports (and particularly for those not familiar with the CRS), the organization “…serves as nonpartisan shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.”