Quantum Application

Mission — Quantum Application source

This program supports the Department's initiative to Build Sustainable and Long-Term Advantage. Quantum technology has reached a tipping point where current investments will determine its future impact. If the United States can stay on pace, many important outcomes for the DoD will be realized. Quantum PNT sensor technology will create robust position, navigation, and timing (PNT) for the freedom of operations having precision-strike capabilities even within contested spectrum, space, or cyber operations. Quantum radio frequency (RF) sensors will greatly enhance capabilities in the spectrum giving the DoD significant advantages for electronic warfare; command, control, and communications and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C3ISR). Quantum computing (QC) may revolutionize DoD’s ability to develop advanced materials and potentially other computational problems. However, the transition of laboratory innovations to devices that are competitive with existing ones is hampered by immature quantum component technology and the need for specialized fabrication, integration, and packaging processes to manufacture quantum devices. This funding will identify detailed component requirements develop the most critical technology solutions. This effort will be coordinated with non-defense U.S. Government (USG) agencies to ensure their commercial viability. The resulting component supply chain will enable defense and dual-use applications of quantum technology leveraging existing resources in academic institutions, national laboratories, private industries; and other DoD programs such as Manufacturing Innovation Institutes (DoD MIIs) and the Microelectronics Commons. PNT and RF sensor technologies demonstrate substantial improvements in technical performance against their current fielded, classical counterparts. However, sustained research and development is needed to mature these technologies at the quantum system level as well as to mature the component supply chain for them. All these technologies require refinement of the concepts of operation to maximize impact to the DoD and accelerate the timelines to such impacts. Required research and development efforts are guided by OUSD(R&E) with input from the services for their technical requirements as a DoD-wide effort. These sensors are not yet at a maturity level for system integration by the services. The relative cost and workforce barrier is too high for one service or agency alone to transition this complex and emerging technology for a single mission. DoD agencies working together, however, guided by OUSD(R&E), can overcome these barriers and impact all DoD Service Departments. Initial funding to develop quantum sensor maturity was undertaken in FY2024 by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) through a $55M transfer from Quantum Transition Acceleration. OUSD(R&E) will continue to work with DIU as well as the services to optimize execution of the projects in the program. Finally, QC will likely allow rapid advances in critical DoD areas such as materials and chemistry for advanced energetics, propulsion, and platform coatings, and machine learning, but significant work is required to understand which QC application will be most relevant and available the soonest. This program will develop that application knowledge and facilitate future large impacts.

Mission — Quantum Transition Acceleration source

The Department has pioneered and advanced classical sensor technology for decades. Over the past years, quantum sensing technology has shown the ability to meet program-level metrics throughout DoD R&D programs. Sustained development to create the specialized manufacturing requirements, workforce, and operation outside the laboratory is critical to bring these sensors to a maturity level at which the services can continue transition to programs of record. OUSD (R&E) centralized management and direction of this development will ensure that redundancy and a piecemeal approach is avoided, and that overall progress is accelerated. In addition to quantum sensing applications, the Department will continue to track progress in the use of quantum computing for game-changing opportunities for DoD use through interaction with industry, Quantum centers, Service laboratory experts, and Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA), as well as others. Through this effort, the DoD will be better prepared to leverage any strategic surprise opportunities arising as quantum computers develop. This funding will allow OUSD(R&E) oversight of a multi-service program designed to develop quantum sensing technology capable of integration into multiple DoD applications in each of the Army (USA), Navy (USN), and Air Force (USAF). As structured, the program will be able to maximize the utilization of the military department’s distributed technical expertise and capabilities. OUSD(R&E) will contribute connections to program of record and the joint force strategic goals, connectivity and integration between organizations. OUSD (R&E) will reduce risks to individual projects through coordinated work on technology challenges, and connectivity to other R&E capabilities including the other critical technology areas, basic science office, manufacturing innovation, and the Microelectronics Commons. OUSD(R&E) will confirm all developed quantum technology meets specified requirements ensuring a more diverse use case for all developed technology with an industry base that can sustain DoD needs. Projects will include testing and evaluation, device integration, and application analysis to aid in future acquisition and sustainment of innovative technologies developed in DoD research programs.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (1)