It is often difficult to find a good description of the defense acquisition process in an easily understandable format.  The process is so complex and involves so many different organizations, laws, and regulations that comprehending the main points and flow of the process and the relationships among the players is daunting indeed.  The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has prepared an overview of the defense acquisition process that may help you navigate through this maze.  The CRS report “How DoD Acquires Weapons Systems” provides a description of the acquisition process with relevant charts and timelines. The report includes a detailed history of the statutory and regulatory underpinnings of the acquisition process, a description of the organizational structure, and some of the major components of the process.  The study also describes recent acquisition reform efforts and the major laws affecting defense acquisition passed between 2006 and the present.