Welcome to part one 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:

• Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress, Sep 15, 2021
• Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter (Polar Icebreaker) Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Sep 15, 2021
• Navy Constellation (FFG-62) Class Frigate Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Sep 15, 2021
• Navy John Lewis (TAO-205) Class Oiler Shipbuilding Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Sep 15, 2021
• Navy Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Sep 15, 2021
• Navy LPD-17 Flight II and LHA Amphibious Ship Programs: Background and Issues for Congress, Sep 15, 2021
• Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress, Sep 14, 2021
• Navy Columbia (SSBN-826) Class Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Sep 14, 2021
• Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress, Sep 14, 2021
• Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress, Sep 14, 2021
• Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress, Sep 14, 2021
• Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress Sep 14, 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.”