The US Department of Defense (DoD) is heavily investing in state-of-the-art quantum computing technologies that will help the US military make quick and important decisions within strict time constraints.
Speaking at the 2024 Quantum World Congress, John Burke, an undersecretary in the Pentagon’s research and engineering wing, discussed the applications of quantum computing in strengthening the United States’ defense capabilities.
According to Burke, the US is rolling out a Defense Applications of Quantum-computers program toward Architectures and Requirements (DAQAR). This program is part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and aims to help the country make complex military decisions in less time with the power of quantum computing.
Burke further noted that the Pentagon aims to launch the program as soon as possible, initially focusing on reaching short-term strategic goals.
Burke discussed other recent quantum initiatives of the DoD, including a space-qualified commercial navigation system. He called this system a “big deal” and said it could be a breakthrough technology for bigger projects.
The undersecretary also indicated that the DoD will significantly increase its investment in magnetic navigation projects, which will revolutionize various types of magnetometers, including atomic magnetometers.
Burke continued. The Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI), a project of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), is another project that aims to see the large-scale applications of quantum computing in the defense sector. He was excited to see the QBI’s launch next year and suggested that it could encourage the DoD to invest more funds in the quantum computing sector. Burke argued that each development in quantum technologies leads to further advancements, which essentially initiate a chain reaction that continues to bring new technologies.
However, Burke also discussed the challenges that could hinder the US’s ability to pursue these projects properly. He discussed manufacturing challenges related to semiconductors, photonics, low-temperature electronics, and other technologies in which the US still depends on other countries.
Burke’s remarks came in the wake of rising concerns that China is outcompeting the US in quantum computing technologies despite facing US sanctions under the CHIPS and Science Act. This law allocated $39 billion for developing the US semiconductor industry and restricted companies from investing in the Chinese semiconductor market.
However, China increased government funding for semiconductor manufacturing to counter US sanctions. Different Chinese tech companies, including Alibaba and Baidu, have also donated their quantum research equipment to the Chinese government, further empowering Chinese capacity to develop innovative quantum solutions.
The US is also heavily dependent on Taiwan for its semiconductors. Geopolitical experts suggest that China’s possible full-scale invasion of Taiwan could bring the US tech industry to its knees, which is also encouraging the US to reduce its dependence on foreign nations for critical tech infrastructure.
