Quantum News Nexus

A couple of interesting things relating to quantum have been happening within the US federal government this week.

On Nov. 18, the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission released a report called “Vying for Quantum Supremacy: US-China Competition in Quantum Technologies” that digs deep into exactly what the title promises. I won’t say too much, and will leave you all to read it for yourselves, but there are some interesting points worth highlighting.

One is the belief that China is ahead of the US on quantum networking, particularly with its ambition to establish a quantum-secured satellite communications network. The report also suggests that China’s quantum technology development strategy is in deep alignment with its national security goals. The implication is that the US needs to do more in both of these areas.

The report also suggests that China’s pursuit of quantum computing and quantum sensing capabilities is not as fully developed as its quantum networking capabilities, but that this may not be the case for long.

The report includes several recommendations , among them the notion that Congress should create a “Quantum First’ by 2030 national goal with a focus on quantum computational advantage in three mission-critical domains—cryptography, drug discovery, and materials science.”

To enable pursuit of this goal, the report further recommends “significant funding for U.S. quantum development, focused on scalable quantum computing modalities, secure communications, and post-quantum cryptography. To secure U.S. leadership, Congress should pair this funding with quantum workforce development initiatives, including expanded fellowships, talent exchange programs with allies, and dedicated curricula aligned with mission needs.”

There’s more, and it’s all worth your time. The report arrives as the future of the US National Quantum Initiative remains uncertain. Various parties have proposed that Congress renew the 2018 NQI Act, portions of which have begun to expire, and US Deputy Security of Commerce Paul Dabbar recently told an audience in Chicago that the Trump administration was encouraging Congress to move forward on a renewal. However, timing for an NQIA renewal remains unclear as Congress takes up issues like its “Epstein files” bill.

Many people in the quantum industry also have long been speculating about the possibility that the Trump administration is readying an Executive Order related to quantum, and it’s ongoing absence certainly has energized the quantum cynics. The arrival of the China report will further stir up expectations that the federal government is poised to do something… or announce something… or something.

The day before the China report was issued, the US Department of War (still getting used to this nod to “Dr. Strangelove…”) came out with its own announcement outlining “six Critical Technology Areas (CTAs) that will define the future of American military superiority.” I’m betting you already guessed quantum is one of those CTAs, didn’t you? Well, you’re right. Specifically, the six CTAs are: Applied Artificial Intelligence (AAI), Biomanufacturing (BIO), Contested Logistics Technologies (LOG), Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance (Q-BID), Scaled Directed Energy (SCADE), and Scaled Hypersonics (SHY).

What does Q-BID entail? The press release doesn’t say. It just does some general chest-pounding (Was General Chest-Pounding a “Strangelove” character?) and kind of ends after that. Do, we’re left to wonder what the War Dept. has in mind, but military and defense applications have long been a target of quantum computing and quantum sensing companies, and several quantum companies already have benefited from defense-related contracts and collaborations with the likes of the US Air Force Research Laboratory. Looking forward to hearing more about Q-BID, and guessing that multiple quantum firms will be jumping out of their chairs to talk about how aligned they are for the Q-BID opportunity.

Image: AI image from vecstock via freepik.

Quantum News Nexus is a new site from freelance writer and editor Dan O’Shea that covers quantum computing, quantum sensing, quantum networking, quantum-safe security, and more. You can find him on X @QuantumNewsGuy and doshea14@gmail.com.