The Naval Research Laboratory is the Department of the Navy's corporate laboratory; it is under the command of the Chief of Naval Research. As the corporate laboratory of the Navy, NRL is the principal in-house component in the Office of Naval Research's (ONR) effort to meet its science and technology responsibilities. NRL has had a long and fruitful relationship with industry as a collaborator, contractor, and most recently in Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs). NRL values this linkage and continues to develop it. NRL is an important link in the Navy Research, Development, and Acquisition (RD&A) chain. Through NRL, the Navy has direct ties with sources of fundamental ideas in industry and the academic community throughout the world and provides an effective coupling point to the R&D chain for ONR. The Naval Research Laboratory's mission is to conduct a broadly based multidisciplinary program of scientific research and advanced technological development directed toward maritime applications of new and improved materials, techniques, equipment, systems, and ocean, atmospheric, and space sciences and related technologies. The Naval Research Laboratory Provides primary in-house research for the physical, engineering, space, and environmental sciences; Provides broadly based exploratory and advanced development programs in response to identified and anticipated DON needs; Provides broad multidisciplinary support to the Naval Warfare Centers; Provides space and space systems technology development and support; and Assumes responsibility as the Navy's corporate laboratory."