Welcome to part two 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. With a decidedly maritime flavor this month, several recent issuances of potential interest to the defense acquisition workforce community include:

• Defense Primer: The United States Air Force, Oct 26, 2021
• Defense Primer: United States Airpower, Oct 26, 2021
• Defense Primer: Department of the Navy, Oct 25, 2021
• Defense Primer: Naval Forces, Oct 25, 2021
• Defense Primer: RDT&E, Oct 21, 2021
• Emerging Military Technologies: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 21, 2021
• Defense Primer: Quantum Technology, Oct 20, 2021
• Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 20, 2021
• Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 20, 2021
• Navy Large Unmanned Surface and Undersea Vehicles: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 20, 2021
• Navy Lasers, Railgun, and Gun-Launched Guided Projectile: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 20, 2021
• Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 19, 2021
• Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter (Polar Icebreaker) Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 19, 2021
• Hypersonic Weapons: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 19, 2021
• Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 19, 2021
• Navy Columbia (SSBN-826) Class Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 19, 2021
• Navy Constellation (FFG-62) Class Frigate Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 19, 2021
• Navy DDG(X) Next-Generation Destroyer Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 19, 2021
• Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 19, 2021
• Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 19, 2021
• Navy John Lewis (TAO-205) Class Oiler Shipbuilding Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 19, 2021
• Navy Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 19, 2021
• Navy LPD-17 Flight II and LHA Amphibious Ship Programs: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 19, 2021
• Navy Next-Generation Attack Submarine (SSN[X]) Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 19, 2021
• Navy Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 19, 2021
• Navy TAGOS(X) Ocean Surveillance Shipbuilding Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 19, 2021
• Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress, Oct 19, 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.”

Photo courtesy of the Architect of the Capitol