Senators want answers from DOD on quantum sensing efforts

Two U.S. senators are working across the aisle to get answers from the Pentagon about its efforts to advance quantum sensing — whose promises include jam-resistant position-navigation-timing systems — and whether the U.S. military can keep pace with China in the field.

“China is pursuing advances in quantum information science, some of which outstrip the efforts of the United States in scale and scope,” Sens. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., write in an Oct. 3 letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, obtained exclusively by Defense One. “To ensure that the United States maintains its technological advantage, DOD must have a strategic plan to integrate quantum sensing into our national security efforts.” 

Hassan and Blackburn cite a September report from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, or ITIF, that finds “China leads in quantum communications…and matches the United States in sensing, excelling in market-ready tech, while the United States dominates high-impact areas.”

This points to a big contrast in the way the two countries are pursuing quantum technology in general. The United States leads in quantum computing—but real-world quantum computing applications are years away, in part because of the challenge of building machines to handle large numbers of qubits—the basic unit of information in the field. For instance, IBM hopes to have three 100,000-qubit computers—capable of solving some of “the world’s most challenging problems”—but not until 2033. 

But quantum communication and sensing is closer to real-world applications today. Instead of trying to get subatomic particles to work together to process information, quantum sensing involves the (relatively) simpler observation of them. Because all atoms behave the same way, and all have mass, they can, for instance, create precise measurement data for phenomena like acceleration, allowing for, say, a drone or an aircraft to understand where it is anywhere on earth without receiving a jammable or spoofable GPS signal. 

The Defense Department and the services have various investments in quantum sensing, including a $55 million effort to lay the groundwork for moving to quantum sensors. But as the ITIF report points out, China has a clear lead in quantum communication and there are some indications that it is leading in quantum sensing as well, due in part, to a focus on these more near-term applications over quantum computing hardware development. 

“Overall, China’s strategic focus on near-term quantum technologies enables it to lead in technologies that are closer to market readiness.” it reads. 

In their letter, Hassan and Blackburn press Austin for more details about how the Pentagon is coordinating its efforts among various services and offices; how it is coordinating with other federal agencies, some of which are out-spending the Defense Department; and asks simply: does the Defense Department have a strategic plan for quantum science? 

“To ensure that the United States maintains its technological advantage, DOD must have a strategic plan to integrate quantum sensing into our national security efforts,” the letter reads.

Among the questions:  

• “What emerging threats and areas of concern has DOD identified that quantum sensing may play a role in addressing? How has DOD already worked to use quantum sensing to address these threats?” 
• ”What is the current breakdown of quantum sensing efforts within DOD, including the offices responsible for managing and moving forward overall DOD quantum efforts?”
• “What does DOD need from Congress to support, sustain, and accelerate quantum sensing technology for national defense?”

The senators want the answers to the questions by November 15.