secretary guerts, i want to ask you about the role our defense labs play in the acquisition process. i spent a lot of time at crane navy lab in indiana. i've been struck by how integrated they are in not only innovating new capabilities to meet navy requirements but testing and evaluating and verifying systems developed for the navy by private industry throughout the acquisition process. i'd love to get your view of defense labs as a vital player in the acquisition system. >> yes, senator. i think, you know, in coming to the navy, i'm really impressed with their warfare centers and their labs and how well they're tied. i think having an organic capability, especially as we've got this rise of commercial technology and commercial products, that organic capability to take them, test them quickly, perhaps integrate them in a different way than would be done commercially is a critical piece for us. back from my so com days, navy dahlgren does all the software for our gun ships. that's all written organically. that gave us great flexibility in special operations command to change as requi